


Living Like We're Renegades

by smoothmovebro



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Flirting, F/F, Interns & Internships, M/M, Slow Burn, kylo ren runs a kinda sorta frat, mentions of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-26
Updated: 2017-06-30
Packaged: 2018-05-16 07:58:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5820493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smoothmovebro/pseuds/smoothmovebro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A long time ago, in a university far, far away...</p><p>Finn feels that changing degrees would be best. Poe Dameron is the best aeronautics student the university has ever seen. Rey enrolls at the university in the hopes of pursuing the famous Jedi Internship. The three become friends and face the challenges and drama of college together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. New Kids and Old Internships

**Author's Note:**

> Title from X Ambassador's "Renegades". Dedicated to Peanut, who helped me come up with this AU.
> 
> This AU will be a mishmash of university terms and systems used in different countries, so feel free to ask me if you're confused with anything.
> 
> Also, this is the first time I'm posting a WIP so please bear with me when updates aren't as consistent. However, I will promise that the first 3 chapters will be posted once a week.

The bell rang and Finn dashed out of the room, glad that the last lecture of the day was over. He hated classes with Professor Phasma; she seemed a little too keen to watch him fail her class (which he doesn’t, adding to the creepy vibe he feels from her). Maybe he should change courses. After all, he still had 3 weeks left before his schedule becomes permanent.

He sprinted out to the open grounds and crossed to the building on the other side of the campus.

It was there that he ran into Poe Dameron, dubbed as the university’s ‘best future pilot of the galaxy’.

“Hey, hey!” Poe said, catching Finn by the sleeve. “Be careful where you’re going, okay, buddy?”

Finn looked at the boy he just ran into. A charming smile with dark, tousled hair, and an atrocious orange and white uniform that somehow looked good on him. Finn vaguely recognised the face from the brochures and pamphlets he skimmed through before enrolling as a student.

Pinging and beeping noises from below made Finn look down at his feet.

He saw a robot the size and shape of a beach ball with a smaller dome attached on top. It had the same orange and white colours the other boy was wearing in a pattern of orange circles and grey geometric shapes painted all over the robot. The dome on the robot swivelled around to look at Finn and it beeped indignantly, if robots could even do that.

“You almost knocked BeebeeAte over,” Poe explained. He stooped down to the robot. “It’s alright, he didn’t mean that,” he told the droid. BB-8 let out a series of beeps and pings. Poe chuckled and looked up at Finn. “Beebee gets a bit cranky in the afternoon.”

Finn stared, confused, at the droid. “Is this a project of yours?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m with the robotics team. We don’t use BeebeeAte for competitions. They’re more like family, actually.”

Poe looked up at Finn, uncertain. “I thought you’d recognise Beebee, since we recently programmed it to patrol around the campus.”

“Monitoring its functions, right?” Finn supplied. He may not know much about robots but he’s heard of them roaming university campuses to test out new features their programmers have built.

“Well,” Poe said, drawing out the word, “more like we ask it to go around and take photos and footage of university life.”

The orange and white droid beeped high-pitched at Poe. He paid attention to the droid’s rolling and swivelling head. “Yeah… I mean, I’m pretty sure everyone signed a consent form to being filmed…” Poe glances at Finn, remembering that he was talking with the other boy. “Sorry, we’re still debating about it with the other guys,” he said with a chuckle.

He stood up and offered his hand to Finn. “Poe Dameron, junior student for aeronautics.”

Finn shook the other boy’s hand. “Finn, freshman with the army reserve. Although I’m thinking of transferring to nursing.”

The freshman cleared his throat. _That was a little bit too much information_ , he thought. “Well, I better get going. I have to go back to my dorm.” Finn ran off and Poe was left there, watching him go.

“Don’t you think he’s a bit cute?” Poe asked. Beeps and pings. “Yeah, I know,” he sighed. “College first,” Poe said resignedly as he sauntered the opposite direction.

* * *

_FN-2187,_

_We are pleased to inform you that a new student will enter the university. They are assigned to your dorm room so please clean up to welcome your new roommate. Expect them at 10AM tomorrow._

Finn closed the email and looked around at his room. He was fortunate to be assigned to a quiet dorm where the parties were far from his room. There was a vacant bed opposite to Finn’s and he often used it as a secondary desk. Textbooks and papers were dumped there and Finn got up to clear off the clutter. He put away some papers and shoved them in a shelf on his side of the room. He made the vacant bed for his new roommate and hesitated on whether or not to put a welcome card on the bed. Finn decided not to do anything. He won’t have classes until noon, anyway.

* * *

Finn didn’t hear his alarm and woke up to somebody poking his head with a staff.

“Are you Finn?” a girl asked. He shook himself awake and bolted upright in his bed. He looked at his new roommate and, remembering to answer the question, he nodded his head.

“I’m Rey,” the girl said, offering her hand for him to shake. She pointed at the vacant bed with her staff. “Is that my bed?” Finn nodded. “Thanks,” she said as she dumped her bags there and started to unpack.

Rey peered around the room after unloading some of her things and she glanced at the timetable posted above Finn’s desk. “Don’t you have classes to attend?” she asked. Finn curses under his breath and checked the time. He bolted out of his bed to grab his bag and a change of clothes.

“I’m _so_ sorry,” Finn said as he gathered his things. “I’d love to show you around some time,” he called out as he left the room.

Rey scoffed. First day at college and she ends up with the sloppy one. What degree was Finn studying again? She heard that he recently transferred to studying for a degree in nursing, though it’s hard for her to picture a guy like Finn as a nursing student.

Things here are a bit different than in Jakku, Rey supposed.

* * *

“Come with me, I’ll take you to the pub,” Finn said one Friday night to Rey. She stared at Finn.

“You have a pub around here?” she asked.

“Yeah. It’s not much but the popular kids go there.”

“I thought there’s no such thing as popular kids in college.”

Finn laughed. “Well, I say popular.”

Rey and Finn strolled out of their dorm. Rey was still wearing those bandages that covered her arms. Finn wondered why she wore them all the time but decided against prying, since it could be for personal reasons. Maybe he could ask about the staff she always carried around.

“Not to be too nosy, but what’s with the staff?” Finn asked.

Rey glanced at the object in question. She shrugged. “Habit,” she stated. “Useful for walking back in Jakku.”

“Jakku sounds like a junk yard.”

“It is not!” Rey said indignantly. She lightly poked her staff at the small of Finn’s back in a gesture of playfulness.

They arrived at the entrance and the bouncer immediately recognised Finn. He narrowed his eyes at Rey. “Who’s this?” he asked.

“New kid. Gotta show her around,” Finn replied. He glanced at Rey and he realises that her stance slightly changed, as if she was ready to fight the bouncer.

The bouncer’s eyes lit up in recognition. “You’re that chick from Jakku,” he sneered. “You stole my portions!”

“Ain’t my fault you gave shitty parts,” Rey retorted. She holds her staff in front of her in a defensive position. “Come near me and you’ll end up just like last time.”

Just when the bouncer lurched forward to throw a punch, a boy in a leather jacket stepped in between Rey and the bouncer.

“Easy there, guys,” Poe said, coaxing the two apart. “You wouldn’t wanna ruin the celebration party for the big donation the aeronautics department got, wouldn’t ya?” he said to both of them, but more pointedly to the bouncer.

The bouncer straightened his shirt, still pissed off. He gestured for Rey and Finn to go inside the pub. Poe followed the two and gave the bouncer a grateful salute.

“Thanks so much for helping us out there,” Finn said as the three of them seat themselves in a booth.

Poe waved a dismissive hand. “Eh, it’s nothing,” he said. “Bouncer back there gets butthurt real easy so I won’t take it too personally if I were you,” he explained to Rey. “Poe Dameron, aeronautics,” he said as he extended a hand to her.

Rey shook Poe’s hand and replied, “Rey, Finn’s new roommate.”

Poe nodded in understanding. “How are you finding this university so far?” he asked.

Rey made a vague gesture with her hand. “Certainly different from Jakku.”

“Jakku? ‘Junkyard Jakku’?”

“What is it with people calling my hometown a junkyard?!” Rey slammed her fist on the table loud enough to make a few heads turn to see where the noise came from. She settled back down, sheepish.

“I’m here for the Jedi Internship,” she admitted. Poe and Finn looked at her in disbelief.

“The Jedi Internship?” Finn repeated. “I haven’t heard anyone talk about that since Luke Skywalker left and Vader became the new Dean.”

Poe hummed in agreement. “Whatever you might have heard about it, you might as well be listening to fairy tales. It’s been so long since anyone applied for that internship, even I don’t know whether or not it was a real thing.”

“Why?” Rey asked. She leaned forward in her seat, eager to listen.

Poe and Finn looked at each other with uncertain glances. Should they tell her? An eyebrow raise from Poe made Finn relent and begin to tell Rey about what happened to the Jedi.

“By now, you know what the Jedi Internship could give you: qualifications for any career field you choose. It’s every college student’s wet dream. But it’s been said that once you apply for it, there’s only a handful of people who pass and get those qualifications.”

Poe interjected. “The really broad legibility rules was what made the Internship so popular among students. ‘Disciplined and courageous’ was literally all it said underneath that heading. Out of 10 kids that apply, about seven of them get in.”

Rey scoffed. “You don’t think I didn’t do my research? I know all this stuff. The Jedi Internship is famous for its teaching approach focused on discipline and courage; it’s a full-time commitment. You apply as a freshman and work under the internship until you find out whether or not you pass by senior year.” She leaned across the table and narrowed her eyes at Poe. “I want to know about this Luke Skywalker.”

Poe swallowed thickly. Her gaze towards him was certainly unsettling. He opened his mouth to say that really, he doesn’t even know if Luke Skywalker is a real person and not some made up legend and did she have to be _that_ close to him-?

“It’s true,” a voice said, startling the three students. They all turned to the source of the voice.

It was an old man with greying hair and a worn jacket over a white shirt. There was an air of confidence about him but it felt muted, as if age mellowed him out.

“No way,” Poe breathes, awed. "Sir, I thought you were on leave until next semester," he said as he came up to shake the old man's hand. Poe turned to Finn and Rey and was about to introduce the old man when he saw that Finn was gesticulating wildly, as if trying to recognise who the old man was. Finally, the freshman snapped his fingers.

“You’re Han Solo!” Finn exclaimed. “Man, you’re a legend. With your co-pilot and the Millennium Falcon and-” Finn cut himself off with a gasp, "how's Leia?"

The old man—Han Solo—chuckled. "Easy there, kid. Yeah, it's true. All of it. The stories, the Jedi. It's all real."

"So what happened?" Rey asked. Han Solo sounded like a familiar name. Wasn’t he the guy who did the Kessel Run in less than fourteen parsecs?

Poe gestured for Han to take a seat beside Rey in the booth. The boy sat beside Han and Finn was trying his best not to piss his pants. Rey looked at Finn and Han. The old man must be a bigger deal than she thought, then, if even a freshman like Finn knew about him.

Han cleared his throat. "I was there with Luke when he was under the Internship. He was very young, straight from Tatooine. He was the best student the Jedi Internship took in, no joke.

"Then Vader became the new headmaster. It was after the fall of the Death Star and there was a great depression across the country. He saw that the Jedi Internship ate up too much of the university's budget and decided to put a new one in its place: the Sith Internship."

"This one I've never heard about, sir," Poe said. "I thought they just scrapped it and the university stopped offering internships altogether."

"The Sith Internship is under a lot of wraps," Han said. "Unlike the Jedi, they have really strict legibility rules. So strict that only select children of the richer alumni could enter."

"But that won't be fair," Finn retorted. "Internships should be open to all students!"

"Headmaster Vader put out the Sith Internship because it still passed the requirement of a university of having at least one internship on offer while spending less on that," Han explained.

“You’re saying there’s no Jedi Internship, then? Just the Sith?” Rey asks. Han nodded gravely.

“As far as I know, Luke was the last of the Jedi. And I don’t know where he’s gone off to,” the old man says. He made his way out of the booth. “Well, it was nice talkin’ with you kids, but I’ve got work to do.”

Poe and Finn said goodbye to Han as Rey leaned back in her seat, feeling defeated. Saving all that money, all those days of going without portions, all for nothing?

Finn put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry about the Jedi Internship. I’m sure you would’ve done great.”

“Whoa, why the long face, Rey?” Poe asked. “You forgot the most important part of the Jedi!”

“How’s that going to help me when the Internship doesn’t even exist?!” Rey said, incredulous. It was useless that Poe was trying to give her empty comfort.

Poe shook his head. “No, there’s another thing you can do once you become a Jedi: you can teach the Internship to other people.”

Rey looked at Poe with wide eyes. “You can do that?” she asked.

“Oh, sure. I knew people who knew people that finished the Internship and taught it to other students. But teaching another student has a lot of restrictions. A whole section in the handbook, I think.”

“Why didn’t I realise that sooner?” Finn said, slapping his forehead. “I’ve got the handbook in the room. We can look at it and see if you could become a Jedi.”

“But you heard Han,” Rey said. “Luke Skywalker is the last of them and even he doesn’t know where he’s went.”

“I guess we’ll just have to hope for the best.”

Rey contemplated everything that just happened. The Sith Internship, learning that Luke could teach her to become a Jedi, and this Poe guy whom she just met and yet he was so eager to become her friend. She didn’t expect that her college experience would be this eventful so early on.

“Well,” Rey said, standing up, “as much as I want to stay, I’ve got an 8AM class tomorrow. See you in the morning,” she said to both Poe and Finn before taking off.

Left alone, Poe inched closer to Finn. Not too much that Finn would think he was invading his personal space but enough that they could talk in hushed voices.

“Your roommate is something, eh?” Poe said. Finn looks at him.

“We barely even know you and you treat us like your best friends,” Finn commented.

“Well, aren’t we?”

Finn was left speechless. It’s the second semester and he has only saw Poe in passing. He knew about the older student’s reputation. Finn asked around and he found out that Poe got the highest score in all the university’s history when he took the entrance exam for students wanting to take aeronautics. The freshman knew that Poe, in his 3rd year of university, wouldn’t have time to interact with newbies like him.

“I don’t know,” Finn finally said. “I just thought that you had better things to do than hang out with us.”

Poe laughed. “Aw, c’mon, buddy,” he said as he casually put an arm around Finn’s shoulder. “I just thought that helping out newbies like you and Rey get settled into the school would be mutually beneficial.”

“You’re saying you’re friends with me so that you can look good on your résumé?” Finn asked incredulously. “I’m offended,” he huffed playfully.

“It’s not like that,” Poe defended. He suddenly sounded sincere, as if he took Finn’s comment a little too personally. The junior shook his head. “I mean, I think you guys are pretty cool and I don’t really click well with my other classmates and I just thought-”

Poe stopped mid-speech. He wasn’t usually like this when he talked with other people. Sounding flustered and being desperate for someone’s approval wasn’t like himself. He was used to people already liking him without him saying a word. He was used to words rolling off his tongue like he practiced them a thousand times.

 _This one is special,_ he thought. But right now, he had to say something to keep the flow of the conversation going.

He snapped into a more playful mood and beckoned for Finn to come closer so he could whisper in his ear.

“I just thought: Roses are great, violets are fine, you’ll be the 6, and I’ll be the 9.”

Finn drew back quickly, a blush spreading across his face. Poe was mentally cursing himself for saying a ridiculous _pick-up line_ , of all things, and now he’s quite possibly ruined any chance of meeting Finn again without feeling awkward around each other. Still, he made himself look like he meant to say what he just said and kept that cool and confident aura about him.

Finn stuttered, unsure. “I, um, I have to go,” he said weakly. “It was nice hanging out with you!” he said as he all too quickly fled the pub.

Poe kept that cool and confident façade until he was sure that Finn was out of the room. He slumped in his chair and raked a hand down his face.

_God dammit, Dameron, pull yourself together!_


	2. Maps and Traitors

_At the gym. I put away the dishes for you. -Finn_

Rey just got back from her classes and had nothing else to do for the rest of the day. It's been a while since she brushed up on her kickboxing. Maybe Finn would be willing to be her buddy. She put down her backpack and changed into her gear, meticulously changing the bandages on her arms for bandages for her fists.

She arrived at the gym near her dorm and found Finn using the punching bag. She ambled up to him and casually greeted him. "Need a partner?" she asked. Finn stopped to glance at Rey.

"Never knew you box," he said, walking over and taking a swig from his water bottle. Rey shook her hand in an indecisive gesture.

"I do a bit of everything. Great for stress," she said. "I'll hold the bag for you."

"Thanks."

They took turns using boxing equipment and spotting for each other while using the machines. Finally, Finn led Rey to the small boxing ring in a separate room in the gym.

“Let’s see what you’re made of,” Finn challenged as he and Rey entered the ring from different sides. The boy has put on boxing mitts while Rey was using her teeth to tighten the knot on her boxing gloves. Both of them warmed themselves up for their sparring session. “We’ll go for a minute, then we switch.”

Rey nodded at that and anticipated when Finn would put forth a mitt she would hit. It was challenging enough for her to keep her on her toes as Finn circled around her, but they went easy enough that any mistake she made wasn’t of too much consequence.

Finn put down the mitts. “Switch?” Rey nodded and started to take off the gloves to hand them over to the boy. From a far corner in the room, someone whistled low at them.

“Didn’t take you guys for the combat type,” Poe commented as he strolled up to the ring. “Finn, I would understand, but Rey, I’m really impressed! Do you do more than boxing?”

Rey stopped in the middle of taking off a glove. She looked at Poe, amazed. “How did you know?”

The junior gestured at her feet. “Your stance and the way you throw your punches. You’ve got a great boxing stance but I see a little bit of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in the way you execute your strikes.” Poe turned to Finn. “You’re just boxing, right?” Finn nodded.

“Well,” Poe said as he took off his jacket, “If you guys don’t mind, I’ll join in.” Before Finn or Rey could protest, Poe already entered the ring. He looked pointedly at the mitts and gloves, then at Rey and Finn. “How about we go mano e mano?” he said with a playful grin.

Finn was flabbergasted. Does Poe fight? He voiced that thought to the junior.

“’Course I do! A pilot’s gotta be in top shape!”

“So what do you do, then?” Rey asked.

“Anything I can learn from other people.” Then Poe’s eyes flashed with an epiphany. He walked over to Finn to whisper in his ear and the freshman nodded in intervals, listening to Poe’s plan. Rey continued to take off her gloves as she eyed the two boys suspiciously. They were done conversing when she finally removed both gloves from her hands, leaving her with the bandages that covered her knuckles.

“Poe wants to give you a challenge,” Finn said. “Take both of us down and he’ll give you all the information he knows about Luke Skywalker.”

 _Luke Skywalker? The last of the Jedi?_ Rey nodded, confident. She could take them both down easily.

* * *

 “Son of a-” Finn muttered under his breath as he overbalanced and collapsed on the floor. He landed ungracefully just a few inches beside Poe, who was lying face down and didn’t look like he’ll be getting up anytime soon. The freshman smiled up at Rey.

“You’re really good,” Finn said. The girl offered her hand to help Finn up.

“Now will you tell me about Luke Skywalker?” Rey asked.

Just before Finn took her hand, Rey was swept off her feet, causing her to fall between the boys. When she turned to see who did it, she found Poe looking at her with the goofiest smile on his face.

“What a happy accident,” he said with a wink. “You went down too, so that means I can’t tell you what you want to know.”

Rey slapped him lightly on the chest. “C’mon, I took you both down fair and square!”

“She’s right,” Finn admitted. “Now you’re just playing around.”

“Well what if I am?” Poe said defiantly. He rolled over and proceeded to assault both Rey and Finn with pokes and tickles to their sides. Rey cried out in surprise and Finn barely dodged Poe’s strikes. The three students wrestled on the ground and stopped when they heard a familiar beep.

“BeebeeAte!” Poe called out, untangling himself from Rey and Finn. He exited the ring and jogged towards the round droid to kneel in front of it. The younger students couldn’t hear what Poe was saying to the droid but looking at BB-8’s constantly swivelling dome and miniscule but frantic pacing (or rolling), the droid must be telling Poe something important.

“Alright, thanks, buddy,” Poe finally said to BB-8. He stood up and walked over to Rey and Finn. “We gotta go.”

“What did the robot tell you?” Finn said.

“BeebeeAte just found a map leading to Luke Skywalker.”

* * *

 The three of them sprinted past shuffling students, following the droid. Many students are familiar with the orange and white beach ball that roams the campus, collecting data and sometimes taking pictures for the university newsletter. So when BB-8 is rolling down a crowded hallway of students, most of them would give way to the stout droid. Rey, Finn, and Poe squeezed through people, eyeing BB-8 as it swerved past legs and turned corners.

“That beach ball is faster than I thought,” Finn panted. “Does it run on an engine or something?”

Poe shrugged. “Somebody must have oiled BeeebeeAte’s rollers. It’s been due for maintenance for about a month now.”

“You know that’s detrimental to the droid if you don’t stick to its maintenance regimen?” Rey asked, rhetorical.

The junior groaned. “I’ve got a lot of papers…” he muttered. “Hey! I think BeebeeAte is stopping here!”

Sure enough, when the three students turned the corner, they found BB-8 slowly rolling to a halt in front of a lecture room. As Poe approached the droid, it beeped rapidly and high-pitched, as if it were a dog excitedly barking at something it found. “What is it, buddy? Is the map in there?” The droid moved its dome in what resembles a nod.

Finn’s eyes were wide. He glanced up at the room number above the door and gulped. Rey noticed Finn’s change in demeanour and before she could ask what was wrong, Poe opened the door.

The lecture room was currently in use, with a professor up front and the projector showing notes. The room had an impressive number of students, many actually paying attention. Some people at the back turned to glance at the newcomers and then resume to their own business.

However, one boy didn’t resume to their own business upon glancing at the three students. His gaze was more focused towards Finn than Poe or Rey. He had ginger hair and a pale face. Finn gulps. _Nines,_ he thought to himself.

“Traitor!” Nines shouted as he got out of the chair to charge at Finn. The other students near Nines glared disapprovingly at his outburst and the professor stops the lecture mid-sentence.

“FN-2187,” Professor Phasma said all too sweetly. “I didn’t realise you would grace us with your presence.” She turned her attention entirely on Finn, and so does the whole lecture room.

The boy in question was preparing to guard himself as Nines finally came close enough to him to throw a punch. Finn dodged the punch and swatted the blow away from him. Rey and Poe took  a step back, unable to do anything but watch their friend fight off the ginger boy.

“What did all those all-nighters mean to you?!” Nines roared, face reddening. “All that time we spent studying, working _together_?!”

Nines was all offense while Finn either dodged or blocked the attacks. Only a couple of jabs or swipes were meant to get the boy to stop. Finally, Nines gave up and slumped his shoulders, defeated. “We’ve been friends since high school. What happened?”

Finn pinched the bridge of his nose. “Nines, you gotta let this stuff go. People change all the time.” He sighed. “I’m so sorry I left this class. I just- I don’t think it’s something I’ll be really good at.”

“2187 is right, Nine,” Phasma said. “His performance has been substandard ever since he began this class and I hardly see him pay attention to the lectures or the tutorials. Leaving this class was the best he could do for the rest of you. It is the way of the First Order to focus on personal betterment and to let your colleagues make their own mistakes instead of helping them.”

Rey and Poe watched the spectacle from beyond the lecture room. BB-8’s camera was focused as well, softly beeping to itself as it recorded everything it could. It was programmed, after all, to record any and all incidents of conflict between students or professors.

“I apologise for disrupting your lecture, Professor Phasma. The droid BeebeeAte here led us to this lecture room because of a personal matter. We’ll come back another time,” Finn said. He bowed his head at Phasma as a gesture of respect and apology. He turned on his heel and walked out of the room. After closing the door behind him, Finn leaned against the nearest wall and dragged a hand down his face. “Fuck,” he breathed. He let his weight drag him down until he was sitting on the floor while leaning against the wall.

“Of all the places,” Finn said to BB-8, “it’s in there?” The droid beeped in agreement. Finn sighed. “You two can go after the class in there is done. I’ve already shamed myself in front of a room full of people who think I’m a traitor.”

Rey and Poe stood there, unsure of what to say without prying into Finn’s life. The sophomore and the junior looked at each other, silently conversing. Rey jerked her head towards the freshman, to which Poe responded to with a look that asked “What am I supposed to do?”

Rey jerked her head towards Finn, a little more aggressively this time, and mouthed “Man up.” Then she took out her phone to show the junior that she had a class in 10 minutes. She let Finn know that she was leaving and the boy barely whispered his goodbye to her. She walked away and left the freshman and the junior to their own devices.

“You wanna talk about it?” Poe asked as he sat down beside Finn. The freshman shook his head.

“I still feel a little guilty,” Finn said. “All my life, I stuck with Nines. We did a lot of things together ever since high school: took the same classes, had study sessions. We both worked hard to get into this university.”

Poe hummed in understanding. “Must have been tough when you realised you didn’t want to take that class.”

“Tough when I realised I didn’t want the _degree_ I was studying for. My family told me it was the best one since I could easily get a job because of it. Then I got in the First Order and I just felt… _defected_ among my classmates.” Finn breathed in deep. “I think I’m wired differently than other students in the First Order, which must have been why nobody liked me there.”

Poe listened to Finn as the freshman told him about how the First Order was different than other blocks. How everything was monitored and everyone was only ever addressed by their student number, not their name. Finn admitted that he thought the First Order was how all the students were like in the university.

“I’m with the Resistance, you see,” Poe said. “We do things very differently than in the First Order but both blocks can coexist in relative peace. As long as no one crosses a line.”

“And I crossed that line ever since I moved to a nursing degree.”

“Hey,” Poe said, turning to face Finn, “it’s _your_ choice as to what path you take in this university.”

“I’m in charge now,” Finn said hesitantly, as if reassuring himself. Poe nodded.

“You’re in charge of your own life, of your own destiny.” The junior looked at Finn in the eye, reinforcing his message.

The two students stayed there, sitting on the floor near the First Order lecture room. There was a heavy silence between them. Not an awkward silence but a silence that held electricity, as if one of them was on the brink of saying something important.

Poe broke the silence by breaking eye contact and standing up. “Welp. Pep talk time over,” he said. Finn stood up.

“Do you have any classes?” Finn asked. Poe shook his head.

“Why? You got any plans tonight?” Poe asked, a hint of suggestion in his voice.

Finn blushed but managed to not stutter. “I may have a couple of ideas.”


	3. Initiations and Interventions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry i'm a bit behind schedule! didn't know the week would be so busy >.>

"Honestly, I don’t even know _how_ you're the child of two legendary professors and you still manage to get away with this," Hux said, tagging along behind Kylo Ren. They were on their way to the cafeteria to do their yearly initiation of the freshmen. It was their last year in the university and they prepared over the break to make it their 'worst' initiation yet.

"Alright, troopers!" Hux yelled as he and Kylo entered the cafeteria. Students, especially freshmen, turned their heads to the two. Hux procured a speaker and placed it on a table. He tapped on his phone several times and an ominous sounding march played. More freshmen turned their attention to Hux and Ren. "Welcome to the home of the First Order!" Hux continued. Members of the First Order who happened to be in the cafeteria cheered and whooped.

"I am Hux and you shall address him," he said as he pointed to Kylo, "as Kylo Ren. Don't you forget that!"

Freshmen glanced at both Hux and Kylo in uncertainty. They were regarding the two seniors as if they weren't sure whether to fear them or ridicule them for the scene that they were making. Kylo Ren stepped forward.

"Freshmen," Kylo started. "Those of you assigned in the First Order will be following my command, if they so wish to join my org."  He started tossing flyers onto tables as he walked around the cafeteria. “Once you’ve passed initiation, you’ll become a Knight of Ren, the highest honour you could possibly get while you’re in this university.”

“More like the highest _dis_ honour!” a sophomore yelled out. “Your little club doesn’t do shit!”

Immediately, Kylo Ren was upon the sophomore and had her neck within his vice-like grasp. She was pawing at Kylo’s wrist while she struggled to gasp for air. “Don’t you ever,” Kylo hissed, “slander the name of my org. Got it?”

Although the sophomore was being suffocated, she still managed to scoff and smirk at Kylo. “Or what? You’re gonna tell on your _daddy_?” she taunted.

Kylo seethed in rage. He hated being associated with his father. It meant that people expected him to imitate his image. Everything his father is, Kylo rejected.

The senior tightened his grip on the sophomore’s throat and the younger student frantically flailed and gasped for breath. Rage and hate consumed Kylo as he suffocated her.

Caught unawares, Kylo suddenly let go of the sophomore when someone hit him with a blunt object. Turning around, he found that a girl with a staff interrupted him and the sophomore.

“Leave ‘er alone!” Rey said. “Fight me instead.”

Kylo turned around to face Rey. She seemed familiar, although he couldn’t remember where he’d seen her before. Still, it would be a pleasure to take down the ignorant girl to prove his power.

Rey continued. “How ‘bout we turn this into a bet? I win, you tell me about what happened to the Jedi. You win, and I’ll join your org.”

Kylo considered the girl’s strange proposition. What was her interest in an internship that’s been long dissolved? He didn’t quite understand the whole point of the Jedi Internship, anyway. Why should that much power and privilege be given away so freely? When Vader became headmaster and the Sith Internship began its pilot program, Kylo actively sought out to be qualified and has been under the protégé of Professor Snoke since freshman year.

“I accept your challenge,” Kylo said. “But you must know that it is a certainty that you will fail.”

From behind his back, Kylo grabbed his collapsible bo staff and flicked his wrist to extend it to its full length. Rey crouched slightly, her own staff in front of her and ready to fight.

For a moment, the two students circled each other, each eyeing their enemy. Kylo span his bo staff in elegant spins, showing off. Rey forced herself to not roll her eyes at that.

More and more students flocked toward them, some with their phones out to film them. A shrill beeping and chirping caused the students to look down at their feet.

Of course. Trust the robotics team’s best journalist to be the first on the scene. BB-8 made its way through the crowd to be as close to Rey and Kylo as it could get. However, when the droid’s camera focused on Rey, it beeped and chirped even louder than usual.

BB-8’s noise made Rey turn around. What was the droid doing here?

She immediately regret what she just did, because Kylo charged at her and nearly smacked her flank with his staff. She dodged him to the side and hit the back of his knee as she jumped away from him. The senior groaned both in pain and frustration. He spun around to face Rey and charged at her with more ferocity and speed.

_Thwack! Thwack!_

The two managed to carry on the fight without actually hitting each other. One of them would strike, only to be blocked by the other.

Sometimes, onlookers would have barely dodged getting hit by one of them. Hux was at the back of the crowd, irritated that the freshman initiation was interrupted but also gleeful that this change of events would give Kylo a better, more powerful image towards the freshmen.

“You have impressive skill for a sophomore,” Kylo commented. He attempted a hit at Rey’s abdomen but she drove the blow away from her.

“I’d compliment you too, but I’ve been raised not to encourage bullies.”

_Thwack! Thwack!_

At this point, professors caught wind of the situation and were ushering students to the side. They were making their way to the front not to separate the fight but rather to get the best view. It’s so rare that a mech engineering sophomore gets to battle Ben Solo, son of the legendary professors Leia Organa and Han Solo.

“I can teach you the ways of the Jedi Internship.”

_Thwack! Thwack!_

“I know the truth. The only internship here is the Sith. And I’ll never join an elitist, exclusive group that holds back opportunities from students!”

With that, Rey brought down her weapon on the outside of Kylo’s neck. The senior lost balance and fell to the floor. Rey held her staff inches from Kylo’s head, then held it by her side. She took down the bastard.

Students cheered at Rey while professors muttered among themselves and (not so) discretely gave money to those who bet that Rey would win. BB-8 beeped long and proud, storing away the footage of the fight in its cloud drive. It rolled over to the unconscious senior and scanned for injuries. With another beep, it confirmed that Kylo would be fine and rolled away from him.

As people shuffled out the cafeteria and Hux rushed to Kylo’s side, Rey slipped out of the room. Before she went out the door, somebody grabbed hold of her wrist. Rey turned around to see who it was.

The sophomore that Kylo choked was looking at Rey with a smile upon her face. Rey was taken aback by the sophomore’s beautiful black hair tied in a ponytail and her even more beautiful face. She was wearing an orange and white uniform, so she must be an aeronautics student.

“Jessika,” the sophomore introduced herself. “Thanks for helping me back there. Kylo Ren’s a real jerk.”

Rey scoffed. “Kylo Ren? What kind of a name is that?”

Jessika looked at Rey incredulously. “You don’t know Kylo Ren? He’s the terror of the college! Head of his org, the Knights of Ren!” She leaned in to whisper. “He’s also Han Solo’s son.”

Rey raised an eyebrow. She remembered that the Sith Internship was offered to children of selected alumni. That must be how Kylo got the internship. “Did not know that,” she said sincerely.

“Wasn’t he supposed to tell you something about Jedis once you win?”

“That was before I knew he was with the Sith.”

“Sith?”

“Really undercover internship the college offers. Only children of selected alumni can get in.”

Jessika snapped her fingers. “So _that’s_ what happened with the internships.”

Rey wrung her hands. “It’s just so… _unfair_ that they have to do that!”

“Yeah, it sucks.”

Jessika glanced around, as if looking for something else to say. “I’m in aeronautics with Poe and I’ve heard stuff about you,” she said.

Rey laughed. “Hope it’s all good stuff.”

Jessika chuckled weakly. “Yeah, it’s mostly good. Um,” she paused, “I just wanted to ask if you want to go for a coffee?”

Rey almost asked for the other girl to repeat herself but the words were spoken clear as day. “As a thank you or…?”

Jessika shook her head. “I mean, I was going to ask you today as a normal person but then,” she gestured towards her neck, “Ren happened and I know this looks like a ‘thank you for saving me’ kind of thing but-”

“Sure.”

“Wait, what?”

“I mean, I’ll go have coffee with you. Doesn’t have to mean anything. We could just hang out.”

The smile on Jessika’s face grew into a goofy grin and she recomposed herself. “When’s a good time, then?”

Rey shrugged. “Now would be great. I mean, I _just_ whooped Kylo Ren’s ass.”


	4. Dates and Lookouts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been a literal year, my buddies, since i posted this and i've got 4 more chapters in store

This was totally unexpected. Rey was half-hoping for something to happen, but not _this_.

It’s been far too long since Rey went on a date but with Jessika, she felt completely at ease. Strolling around in campus, letting their feet take them anywhere. The sun was mild and the usual bustle of students made them feel like they were invisible.

Rey saved this moment in her mind. Jessika relished the feeling of peace with this girl from Jakku.

“So you’re with Poe in aeronautics? Does it get tiring?” Rey said.

Jess cocked her head. “When by tiring you mean annoying that I have to listen to how _perfect_ and _beautiful_ Finn is? Because if so, then yes, Poe is the most exhausting guy to be around.”

It had also been too long since Rey had laughed a genuine laugh.

God, she was so screwed.

“Does he also fantasise out loud about completely impossible scenarios?” Rey asked. Jess nodded vigorously. She put on an impression of Poe.

“Jess, you think Finn will ask me to the dance?” she asked in a deep voice. “We don’t even _have_ dances, Poe!” she said normally.

Rey never felt this much joy since she was a child.

Jess would trade the world for one more hour with this girl.

The two girls walked in silence for a while, enjoying each other’s company. Jess spotted an ice cream shop and offered to treat Rey to a cone.

“What’s an ice cream?” Rey asked.

Jess’ jaw dropped. “What do you mean-? You’re saying they don’t have these things in Jakku?”

Rey shook her head. “I’d know if there was one.”

Jess took Rey’s hand. “You’re missing out, Jakku girl,” she said excitedly. “I’m definitely going to have to treat you to one.”

They entered the shop and Jess greeted the boy working there. “’Sup, Snap!” The boy nodded.

“Who’s this you got?” Snap asked.

“Rey, this is Snap. Snap, Rey.”

Snap was a stocky guy. He nodded to acknowledge Rey. “Should I get you the usual?” he asked Jess.

“Yeah, get two cones. Rey here’s never had an ice cream before.”

Snap’s eyes widened and focused on Rey. “Jakku must be tough.”

Rey laughed. “Why do you think I came here?”

The boy scooped out two spheres of this beige, mushy stuff and placed them delicately on two waffle cones. Snap handed the cones to Jess, who handed one to Rey.

Rey looked down at her cone in bemusement. “How do I eat this?”

“Like this,” Jess said as she licked the dripping edges of melted ice cream off the cone. “You don’t want to get your hands too sticky so you lick off the edges first.”

Rey followed suit and the chilly sensation on her tongue as she licked the ice cream made her eyes widen. The taste was sweet, milky, and cool in her mouth. Jess smiled as she watched Rey.

“Oh, get outta here, you lovebirds!” Snap fondly scolded. “I got other customers to serve.”

“We’re your _only_ customers,” Jess retorted. “Let’s go, Rey. I have all these places to show you.”

* * *

 She had never seen this much green in the whole galaxy.

“You like it?” Jess asked.

Rey was too speechless to answer. She took in the sights around her. Lush, tall trees with foliage that lets narrow beams of sunlight in. The sunlight illuminates the dirt path and she could see the small flowers and shrubbery around. Signs were posted sporadically, describing to passers-by the history and features of the forest. Rey walked up to a sign and glanced at sketches and photos about the history of the forest.

“So this used to be where old Resistance dorms were at?”

Jess walked over to look at the sign Rey was reading. “Yeah, they all got knocked down for renovation after the Protest of Yavin. Empire kids – that was the old name for the First Order block – didn’t like that Resistance students somehow found a flaw in the Death Star, an old information system that contained all the dirt on everyone in campus.”

“That’s an invasion of privacy!” Rey huffed. “I can’t believe that the Order, Empire – whatever it’s calling itself – are such a sneaky bunch!”

“It doesn’t stop there.” Jess gestured for them to keep walking. Rey still took in the luscious and relaxing ambience of the forest while listening to Jess talk about the university’s history.

“A group of students that called themselves Rogue One managed to steal vital lines of code that makes the Death Star tick. Couple of years later, a new group of Resistance students were able to use that code to hack into the system and eventually destroy it. Luke Skywalker was one of them.”

Rey stopped in her tracks. Jess took several more steps ahead before realising Rey wasn’t walking with her anymore. “Something wrong?”

“Luke Skywalker…”

“What about him?”

“He’s the last of the Jedi, right?”

Jess hummed. “Maybe? I don’t really keep track of alumni from the Jedi internship. Why do you ask?”

“It’s just-” Rey scuffled the ground with her shoe. “I want to find him and get him to teach me the internship. I’ve heard so many great things about him and I really want to know if it’s all true.”

Jess was silent for a moment. She shrugged. “I don’t know where he is, but I do know someone who might help you.”

Rey beamed but before she could say anything, Jess put up a finger. “But first, I gotta show you why we’re _really_ here.” She led Rey up steep hills and winding tracks. As they ascended, Rey looked back every now and then to marvel at how _expansive_ the forest was. Just when she thought that she’s seen all the green, a few more metres higher and she would see even more lush foliage dancing in the wind.

To know that dorms once stood where they were standing… it was a shame that the Empire destroyed a part of the university’s history.

“We’re almost there!” Jess called out. Rey turned her head to Jess’ voice and realised that they’ve reached the peak. Jess grunts as she climbed the steep slope to the top of the hill. Rey followed suit.

After panting for a while to catch her breath, Rey finally looked up to survey the view.

“Holy shit!” she cried in reflex. Jess laughs at her reaction.

“It’s really something, isn’t it?”

Beyond the forest, beyond the emerald foliage and the chirping birds, was the university standing proud and steadfast. Rey could see the lecture buildings, the modern and complex architecture of the newer dorms, and even her and Finn’s own humble dorm in the midst of the university’s sheer multitude of on-campus housing.

“Why are you showing me this?”

Jess sits on the ground and invited Rey to sit with her. “In the old Resistance days, this was a lookout meant for the fraternities and the sororities. You know, to keep watch of their rivals.” She shakes her head. “Don’t know why people even bother with that type of stuff,” she muttered.

Jess cleared her throat. “Anyway, I’m saying that this place is special because this was the same spot that helped Luke and his team of Rogues destroy the Death Star.”

She let Rey stare out into the university with awe as the other girl processed everything she just heard. Luke and the Death Star? Luke, the last Jedi who could teach her the internship? Luke, the hero. Luke, the missing. _Where could you be?_

Rey absently ran her fingers through the ground, feeling the soft grass that she rarely saw on Jakku. She felt a different texture to the grass, something softer and… is it cloth? She grasped the foreign object and slowly tugged it out of the soil. The cloth was orange like the uniform she saw Jess wear while she was in class. It was tattered and worn from being buried but she could make out a name badge on the cloth.

“Who’s… Captain… Dosmit Ræh?” she asked.

Jess perked up. “She’s a Tierfon Yellow Ace, like me! Can I see?” Rey handed over the cloth. “I didn’t realise that a Yellow Ace would end up here. Which should mean-”

Jess got up and walked around the top of the hill. She sauntered to the other side and lunged for something there. Rey shifted to see what exactly Jess went after.

Moments later, she popped up with a dusty helmet on her head. “She must have ended up here during the Protest of Yavin. I’ve heard of her once but I never really knew what she did. She goes way back in the day.” She took off the helmet and brushed off the dirt and leaves on it. She handed the helmet to Rey. “As a thank you.”

Rey accepted the helmet and stared up at Jess. “Why are you so nice to me?”

Jess clenched her jaw and looked away from Rey, trying to hide her blush. “I mean… I’m just-” she took a deep breath and started again. “It was brave of you to step up to Kylo Ren back there. A true Resistance kid stands up for innocent people, so I thought it was only right to give you something to thank you.”

She offered her hand to help Rey up, who was awkwardly holding the helmet under her arm. “We officially welcome you to the Resistance,” Jess said. She felt that she needed to _do_ something to make the moment complete but then-

_Ringring!_

“There’s reception here?” Rey wondered aloud. She took out her phone and gasped at the time. “God, it’s so late! I have to get back. Finn’s been doing the dishes for two weeks now and he’s getting annoyed that I’m not yet home.”

She rose on her tip toes to give Jess a peck on the cheek. “Thank you so much for today,” she said with a smile that could rival the sun with its brilliance. “I’ll see you around!” She went down the hill and eventually out through the forest. Jess was too shocked to even follow after her.

“She kissed me,” she said out loud. Her fingers hovered over her cheek, on the spot that Rey kissed. She looked around before crying out in joy. She then went down the hill, back to her own dorm.

* * *

“Where were you? You don’t usually come home this late.”

Rey sighed at Finn’s tone. “God, _Mom_ , it’s not like we have a curfew around here.” She put down the helmet Jess gave her and only realised now that Finn was dressed… _differently_.

“And I might ask _you_ the same thing, ex-Order kid.” She went over to Finn and tugged on his tie. “What was the special occasion?” she asked with a smirk.

Finn blushed. “Well…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> note to self: wips are a bad idea bc you abandon them for a literal year


	5. Dates and Billiards

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The StormPilot chapter you've all been waiting for!

“A bowling alley?” Poe asked.

“A bowling alley,” Finn repeated with a nod. “They also have some pool tables if that’s not your thing.”

“Pool sounds good.”

“So, uh.” Finn cleared his throat. “You’re free this afternoon or-?”

“I’ll have to do some research on a paper but I’m free tonight.” Poe saw Finn fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. “Hey.”

Finn looked up. “Sorry! I was still listening, I was just-”

“Okay, I’ll see you around six? Just text me the address and I’ll be right there.” The soft, concerned look was different from the usual bright and confident aura Poe had about him. _Shit, why is Finn so cute?_ _Quick, scram before he notices that blush on your face!_

The freshman nodded. “Yeah! Sure!” It came out more high-pitched and breathless than Finn would like, but he hoped Poe wouldn't notice since the other boy was already walking away.

* * *

 Finn rushed into his dorm room and glanced at the clock. _3 hours_. He went over to his closet and rummaged for something decent. He was thankful Rey wasn’t around to question him about Poe. Wasn’t she with that Pava girl right now?

Spending a semester or two with the First Order and then transferring to the Resistance really gave Finn the crawling and deeply upsetting realization that even his _clothes_ were picked out and given to him by the Order. Most of his clothes were black, devoid of any design save for a patch of the Order logo on the left side of his shirts. The clothes he had before going to university were too frayed to be worn in public, so he settled for a white shirt, a black tie, and the only slacks he could find.

_I’m buying plaid after this._

The next two hours were agony for him, pacing in his dorm room and checking his phone. _It’s not even an actual date_ , he reminded himself. Just… two guys – one an ex-Order kid, another the face of the university – hanging out having a nice round of pool. Nothing more, nothing less.

He had only been to the university lounge once or twice since Order dorms had that kind of recreation at their common room. His old friends in that block would challenge him round after round and he would win against all of them, and that’s after 3 bottles of beer and the pure exhaustion that comes just after submitting a huge paper. Slip would tease him that he was secretly related to Efren Reyes and Nines would almost always inspect the tables for any sign of rigging.

It was the only thing that helped Finn keep his humanity.

After an hour of worrying, the freshman finally set foot out of his dorm room and into the main campus. Taking his time with the walk, he looked around and finally saw the sheer size and grandness of this university he studies in. Order students were only ever allowed in certain buildings, so transferring to another block let Finn wander to places he didn’t even know existed.

He found the lounge and walked in. _Half an hour before Poe would arrive,_ Finn noted.

The crew member behind the counter was a kid he vaguely remembered seeing around. She gave him a table number and jotted down whether he wanted to use the alley or the tables, then sent him off.

He placed the number on a booth near the table he played on last time. Shortly, another crew member brought out the balls and the rack, then placed them down on one end of the table. Finn made no move to start playing. Instead, he sent Poe the address of the lounge then walked over to the pinball machine in the corner.

A few rounds in and Finn didn’t even notice that Poe had already arrived.

“Hey.”

Finn jolted and lost his game. He turned around to grin at Poe. “Hey, you showed up! Nice!” he laughed, nervous but genuinely excited. He tried to ignore how close Poe was to him. _Close enough for an accidental kiss if I wasn’t careful._

Poe tugged at Finn’s tie. “What’s this? You’re not thinking that this is a date, aren’t you?” That expressive arch in his brow and the sneaky half grin made Finn want to believe that the junior knew how he really felt. _No, he’s not Jedi. Only Jedi learn about mind reading._ He gently extricated his tie from Poe’s grasp.

“First Order doesn’t really like variety in their students. You know, uniformity and stuff. This is the only thing I could find that didn’t have the Order logo plastered on it,” he said while smoothing out his tie.

“Huh. I should lend you some of my clothes, though. You’re with the Resistance now,” Poe said with a wink. Surely, Finn should’ve died from the other boy’s charms just then. And wait, did he say _lend_ his clothes? What-?

“You’ve set everything up!” Poe said, gesturing at the table.

“Don’t you want something to eat first?” Finn said. “They have nachos.”

Poe’s eyes widened. “No way… This place is awesome!”

“I’ll go and order some food. You can go ahead and grab some sticks.”

Once Finn was out of earshot, Poe eyed the mounted sticks on the wall with a nervous anticipation. He’s played pool before but he was younger, while his mom was still alive. He was so small he needed a stool to see the table properly.

Finn came back and reassured that the food will show up after a game. “You wanna go first?”

Poe shook his head and gestured at the table. “I insist.”

Finn approached the table, removed the rack, and placed it on a shelf under the table surface. He leaned down and placed the cue ball near the triangular formation, closing one eye as he takes aim.

_Clack!_

The balls scattered across the cloth covered table. A striped ball even managed to fall into a pocket. Finn’s eyes widened for a second and Poe cursed under his breath.

The freshman circled the table and crouched so that he was at eye level with the cue ball. He outstretched his hand and flexed it so that he could slip the cue stick between his fingers. The cue ball slid to a solid ball and guided it straight into a pocket.

“Holy shit,” Poe muttered. When Finn looked at him expectantly, he flashed his usual cocky grin. _I am going to die._ He stepped hesitantly towards the table.

He leaned down in front of the cue ball, mimicking Finn and flexing his hand to place his cue in between his fingers. He reared his arm back to strike-

“How long has it been since you played?” he heard Finn whisper in his ear. Poe yelped and whirled around.

Finn was inches away from his face, all beaming smiles and kind eyes. The junior swallowed thickly.

“Uh… I was ten?” His voice cracked when he responded. _Does he really have to be that close?_

“Okay,” Finn said with a chuckle. “First off, it was still my turn. I just wanted to see how easy I should go on you.” He moved away from Poe and started to gauge the table again. “Looks like we have to go the novice route.”

“Hey, I can play!” Poe defended. “I just… I’m out of practice,” he added. He puffed his chest a bit and set his jaw. _Yeah, that should totally convince him._

“Sure you are,” Finn said as he struck the cue ball, guiding it to hit a solid ball, which then rolled into a pocket to the corner of the table. He walked again to where the cue ball was and struck another ball into a pocket.

“How ‘bout a turn here sometime?” Poe joked.

“Okay.” Finn purposely hit the cue ball to bounce off the side of the table but hit nothing else. He gestured to Poe. “All yours.”

Poe sauntered up to the table and walked to where he was closest to the cue ball. Like he did before, he leaned down, flexed his hand, and eyed both the cue ball and that fateful black 8-ball. He may not know the proper rules of billiards but damned if he can’t hit a simple target.

He carefully placed his cue stick in between his fingers. He was stilling his nerves when felt a warm presence behind his back. He stifled a gasp when he felt Finn’s warm hands creep up to his.

“Your bridge is all wrong, you won’t be able to hit anything with a hand like that.” Finn took Poe’s hand and guided it to something that looked more like what the freshman was doing before. He let his hands roam up the junior’s arms, correcting his position and guiding him to get the right hit. He pecked the junior’s cheek and stepped back. “There! You should do fine.”

Poe glanced behind him, silently questioning what Finn just did. He shrugged it off and hit the cue ball. Surely, enough, the 8-ball went straight into a pocket. Poe whooped.

“Did you see that?!” he exclaimed. He laughed. “Thanks, buddy. Really appreciate it.”

Finn opened his mouth to ask a question but an elderly figure called their attention.

“A plate of nachos for a bunch of lovey-dovey fuckos!” A woman called out. Finn peered curiously at the woman while Poe recognised her.

“Mrs. Organa!” Poe cried. He took the plate from Leia’s hands and placed it on the table. “Come sit! I haven’t seen you in a while!”

The three of them settle at the table. “And who’s this, your new boyfriend?” Leia turned to Finn and eyed him up and down. “He should join the Resistance. We could use a nurse on our block.”

“I _am_ with the Resistance, ma’am,” Finn said. “Just transferred from the Order block.” _How she knew my degree is beyond me._

That made Leia look at Finn with bright eyes. “Even better! You found yourself an inside man, Dameron!” She clapped Poe on the back. “Don’t forget the meeting. Your presence would calm everyone down. Oh, and bring your boyfriend, too.”

“General, Finn isn’t my-”

“I was once your age, Poe,” Leia said. “Believe me, it’ll happen sooner or later.” She gave Finn a sly wink before leaving.

“I’ll leave you to the rest of your date. God knows what you’re gonna be up to.”

Finn was left with a blush that he was convinced Poe could see and a stomach that would’ve come up to his throat from all the butterflies in it. “This isn’t a-”

Poe realized what Finn was implying. “Oh god, no!” He laughed. “The General gets like that sometimes, you know. Poking fun whenever I hang out with new people. She means well.”

“So like… are you…?”

“Yeah, I’m into guys…” Finn’s heart raced.

“Gey- _sers._ Geysers. Wonderful natural phenomena,” Poe said with a distant twinkle in his eye.

Finn contemplated about the non-sequitur… He grabbed a nacho and nibbled on it.

“But I like dudes, yeah.”

Finn almost choked on his morsel. _I’m so fucked._

* * *

 

Finn spread his arms and the gesture evolved into a shrug. “I’m just-”

“Let’s both agree we’re lovestruck fools,” Rey said.

“Yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [This](http://www.puyatsports.com/) is the place I set Finn and Poe's pool game at. It's a real life place I frequented before moving to Australia.
> 
> [Efren 'Bata' Reyes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efren_Reyes) is an incredibly skilled Filipino billiards player. He has occasionally landed balls in pockets with a break shot (the first shot of the game), an applauded feat considering that the balls are first placed in a position that makes it highly unlikely to achieve.
> 
> [Visit my Tumblr!](smoothmovebro.tumblr.com) ^~^


	6. Rumours and Revalations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just had a huge test and my brain is tired
> 
> hopefully i can keep this up and finish this madness

_Welcome to the First Order. You have been selected to be part of this block due to your timetable and the results of your aptitude test prior to being admitted into the university. Rules and regulations of the Order are detailed in the handbook issued._

_As popular speculation has recounted, the First Order rose from the ashes of the Empire, a shaky but powerful block that had prominent members of the public such as Darth Vader and Lord Palpatine as former students. The Rebel Alliance dissolved the Empire when a legal loophole was used against the block. Now with the reinforced strength of the First Order, it is top priority to exact revenge on the Resistance block._

_Your responsibility, and all other members of the First Order, is to ensure the security of the block by any means necessary. We have employed a block-wide strategy that we encourage all students to employ._

_The strategy is simple to execute: spread a rumour. However, not just any rumour would do. After discussion among the student union, it is agreed that the rumour must be about the junior-year aeronautics student **Poe Dameron**. The rumour must also explicitly describe that he is of a promiscuous nature and utilises sex to fulfil his ambitions. _

_This student is chosen due to his prominence in the Resistance block and his outstanding academic performance. Should our strategy be successful, his graduation ceremony will be received with scorn and resentment, with the student body convinced that he achieved his credentials through unethical means. Only then will the First Order rest its quarrel with the Resistance. Until that day comes, keep the rumours coming._

_In your response to this email, please specify if you wish to opt in or opt out of this strategy. This is to know which students are spreading rumours as the Order instructed them to do so._

_We hope you will actively participate in this block-wide exercise of teamwork._

_-Armitage Hux, President of the First Order Student Union_

* * *

 For 3 years, First Order students have been receiving the email from the Student Union at the beginning of the academic year. Every email was either an initiation into the strategy or a message asking for confirmation that the student is still participating in the execution of the strategy.

Despite its unusual nature, First Order students have received the strategy excellently. Students from the block would casually slip in something they heard about the famous Poe Dameron to another student from a different block. Students from the Resistance block are mostly avoided from directly catching wind of the rumour from an Order student should the security of the strategy be jeopardized. However, with the social effect of rumours, even students from the Resistance are perpetuating rumours about Poe Dameron.

“Didn’t he sleep with Professor Solo just to get extra credit?”

“What about that time he seduced a droid?”

“Doesn’t he strip at that club in Tosche Station?”

For 3 years, all those rumours orchestrated by the Order boiled down to one idea: that Poe Dameron is a slut and a spicy sex god.

Members of the robotics club are aware of the rumour but choose not to discuss it in fear that Poe might overhear them. The aeronautics department is vaguely aware of the social trend among students but remains neutral until hard evidence has been presented to them.

Finn, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to this rumour. Until now.

He was writing a paper in the library when two First Order students sat dangerously close to his spot. Finn ducked his head and wore his headphones as he typed away on his laptop. The spike of infamy he received after the incident with Nines may have died down after several months, but he still employed caution around areas of the campus he knew First Order students frequented.

The Order students—a boy and a girl—were quietly chatting while they highlighted passages from readings. The girl’s eyes chanced upon Finn’s and she clapped a hand over her mouth. The boy looked at her, then looked at Finn, and his eyes widened in disbelief.

“That’s…” He let the rest of his sentence go unspoken. The girl nodded. “Should we talk about the rumour?”

The girl continued her work while glancing in Finn’s direction when the ex-Order student wasn’t looking. She weighed her options and decided. She nodded to her fellow student.

The boy casually but purposely flicked his highlighter so that it flew from his hand to where Finn was seated. The thing hit Finn on the shin and the boy looked down on his leg. He took off his headphones and asked the boy, “Is this yours?”

The boy feigned a chuckle and walked over to Finn. “Yeah, I get a bit clumsy,” he said. He took his highlighter back from Finn and sat back beside the girl. Their plan worked when Finn didn’t put his headphones back on.

They began their block-wide strategy.

“Did you hear about Dameron? He’s slept with a professor. _Again,_ ” the girl said.

“God, can’t he keep it in his pants?” the boy replied.

“I think he’s doing it for extra credit.”

The boy shook his head. “No, I think he’s really just like that. He’s fine as a student but he just can’t…” He wrung his hands. “I’m telling you, that guy’s a nympho.”

The pair continue, slipping in names that are immensely prominent in the university social circles—Bail Organa, father of Professor Leia Organa and former head teacher of the political department; Yoda, the founder of the Jedi Internship; hell, even Jar Jar Binks, a school janitor from the days of the Jedi—and used them to express how Poe is disrespecting such revered individuals to the university.

Finn was barely paying attention to the paper he was writing. He might as well have been typing gibberish while he was eavesdropping on the First Order pair.

Poe, sleeping around? That… that can’t be right. Then what did that thing at the pool tables mean? Did it mean nothing to him? Was he only spending time with Finn because he was _interesting_? Something to pass the time until he decided that he was bored and then move on to the next person?

The freshman shook his head. No use speculating.

He gathered his things and walked away.

* * *

_Come over to my dorm room. We need to talk. –Finn_

Poe found the note slipped into his locker when he got dressed after fixing up his X-wing. He looked around, then stared at the note in his hand.

“I saw him slip that note,” Jess said offhandedly. “He looked like he was gonna drop some serious news on you or something.” She jabbed her finger at the note. “You better visit him or else you might not see your boyfriend again.”

Poe waved Jess off. “Not my boyfriend, Pava. Not my boyfriend.” He hoped he wasn’t blushing.

Jess smiled, like she knew Poe would say otherwise in the near future. “Keep telling yourself that, Black Leader,” she said. She walked over to her locker, out of Poe’s sight.

Poe looked at the note again. What could it be for?

* * *

There was a knock on the door. Finn almost tripped while running to answer it. Poe stood there, in a tank top and the upper half of his flight suit tied around his waist. The junior showed the crumpled note Finn wrote. “You wanted to see me?” he asked. That radiant smile still graced his face and Finn felt his heart flutter.

Finn swallowed and opened the door wider so Poe could pass through. “Come right in,” he said.

Poe glanced around the humble dorm room Finn and Rey shared. Finn indicated the couch to let Poe sit. The freshman paced around and muttered to himself before speaking.

“I’ve been hearing stuff.”

“I hope it’s not voices in your head,” Poe said jokingly. Finn’s laugh was weak and forced.

“I meant rumours,” Finn elaborated. “People have been talking about you behind your back.”

Poe shrugged. “Let them think what they want.”

Finn stared at Poe as if the junior grew a second head. “You’re a big deal in the Resistance block! Hell, I saw your face before I even set _foot_ on campus!” He took a deep breath. “I’m just saying that you have a reputation to uphold,” he said in a calmer tone.

Poe spread his palms in an accepting gesture. “Okay, say I’ll bite. What have they been saying?”

The freshman fell silent for a moment, gathering his thoughts. Finally, he told Poe about what he overheard in the library. That now that he’s heard the conversation he eavesdropped on, he now realized that there were plenty of other people who have talked about Poe the way the Order students did in the library. How some of them would look at Poe funny whenever he walked down the hall. Most of the time, Finn was too wrapped up in Poe’s amazingness (this bit he strategically left out) to notice the whispers behind his back as he and Poe walked around the campus grounds.

When Finn finished speaking, Poe still held eye contact with him. Being scrutinized under Poe’s surprisingly intense gaze gave him a weightless and exhilarated feeling. He tamped down this feeling to pay attention to the junior’s reaction.

Seconds have passed and Poe’s face remained blank, stoic. Then, slowly, his face contorted. His eyes narrowed and his brows furrowed. Then those expressive eyes widened as he thought more about it, realising the gravity of the Order’s block-wide strategy. Finally, that slack jaw and parted lips curled into a huge grin.

Poe’s eyes gleamed and they crinkled around the edges when he started giggling. Honest to God _giggling_. He hid his laugh behind a hand, unable to control himself. Finn stared at Poe. “Aren’t you mad?” Finn asked incredulously. “People are _slandering_ your name!”

Poe’s giggle now evolved into a full-blown guffaw, with actual tears threatening to spill from the junior’s eyes. He had his hands on his thighs, attempting to keep balance and laughing at the same time. The laughter died down and he wiped his eyes. He took a deep breath before saying, “Far from that, buddy.”

“Are they true? The rumours?” Finn’s voice was pleading and desperate.

Poe almost broke down into another laughing fit. “Of course not, Finn! Why would I sleep around?”

“But it’s just… I thought-”

Poe stepped forward and clapped a hand on Finn’s shoulder. “Well you thought wrong, buddy.” He put a hand on his heart. “I have never had sex as a means of manipulation.” He paused. “Actually, I have never had sex, period.”

Finn’s eyes widened. “You haven’t even…?”

“Which makes this even more hilarious!” He turned to pace the room. “How did you hear about this?”

“Like I said, I overheard some Order students talking.”

“Right, right.” Poe nodded, pacing some more. He stopped when Finn didn’t speak. “Keep talking,” he said brightly. “This is gonna make a _great_ story when this blows over!”

“Blows over?”

“Yeah, we’ll take down however started this.”

“Do you have any ideas?”

“You said Order students were talking about me, right?”

Finn nodded.

“Well,” Poe said, “I think I might know a guy…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm planning a couple more chapters before wrapping this up. i've got other ideas i wanna explore, mainly rewriting things


	7. Broomsticks and Bribes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok yeah that was a bit late of me

The door to Hux and Kylo Ren’s room slammed open and the senior swiveled slowly in his chair, revealing the ginger boy petting his cat’s fur. “We’ve been expecting-”

“Hux, what the fuck.”

The cat jumped out of his arms when Hux scrambled out of his chair when he saw who entered his room. “R-ren, I was just rehearsing-”

“You’re being a dramatic mess, is what you were doing.” Kylo ruffled through his side of the room for a change of clothes. “Who were you expecting, anyway?”

“Resistance scum,” spat Hux. “Someone from my network told me Dameron finally figured out the block strategy.”

“After 3 years, I honestly thought he would’ve figured it out sooner.”

Hux leaned back and sneered at Kylo. “Consorting with the enemy, I see?”

Kylo put down his half-packed bag harshly on the bed. “And what is _that_ supposed to mean?”

A shrug, then a softer, knowing smile. “Whatever you think it means.”

“I can’t take your stupid face anymore. I’m out.” Kylo gathered his things and left their room. While on his way out of the dorm-

“Oof!”

“Kriffing _hell_ , watch where you’re-”

“Ben?”

Kylo glanced down at the person who bumped into him. It was a junior wearing that hideous orange aeronautics uniform from the Resistance block. He cleared his throat.

“Dameron. Who would’ve thought.” The bored tone barely hid his nervousness. He took a step back and let Poe pass through. The junior was shortly followed by a freshman with a slightly grown out Order crew cut, which made Kylo’s eyes widen.

“Traitor!” he cried. Order students from neighbouring rooms poked their heads out from their doors, curious of the racket. All of them landed their eyes on Finn, gazes scrutinising and scornful. Some went back into their rooms with a tired huff while some continued to peek out from their door to witness the drama.

“Please, I don’t wanna do this now,” Finn sighed.

Already, Kylo extended his bo staff and lunged at Finn. The freshman reacted.

“Can!” Finn dodged a swipe at his side.

“You!” He ducked a jab at his head.

“Chill?!” He picked up a conveniently placed broomstick and knocked the bo staff out of Kylo’s hands. He prodded one end at Kylo’s forehead and sent him stumbling backwards before dropping it to follow Poe.

Getting prodded in the forehead with a broomstick was a silly thing to be on the receiving end of. _Falling on your ass_ from getting prodded in the forehead with a broomstick was an embarrassment to both pride and honour.

Meanwhile, Finn caught up with Poe as the junior knocked on Kylo and Hux’ room. “Open up, Hux! I know you’re in there!”

Finn peered at the doorknob, then gently twisted it. The door swung open and the two Resistance students walked into the dorm room.

A swivel chair ominously turned to reveal Hux languidly petting his cat. “We’ve been expecting you, Mr. Dameron,” Hux rumbled in a shaky accent.

For a moment, everyone in the room froze. Hux, when he heard how bad his Blofeld impression was, cringed to himself. Poe, stunned at Hux’ theatrics, couldn’t help but open and close his mouth in an attempt to form cohesive thought. And Finn, still petrified of the Order, grit his teeth and clenched his fists while standing beside Poe.

Poe broke the silence. “Really, _Armitage_? Rumours?” He scoffed. “And here I thought you were supposed to be the rational one.”

Hux winced at the use of his first name. He set his cat on the floor to roam around. He stood up, revealing six feet of domineering Order elegance. Any underclassman would cower at his height, but Poe was no ordinary underclassman.

“Never use that name on me again. Just because you know it doesn’t give you the right to use it.”

The junior defiantly faced up to Hux, jutting his chin out just that slightest.

“After what you did to Ren, I can’t _possibly_ let you off just like that.” Hux narrowed his eyes at Finn. “And you’ve brought the traitor, too. How sweet. Are you two dating?”

That smile teetered the border between sweet and menacing. Finn and Poe’s insides churned at the insinuation. They glanced at each other. What if the other guy meant that time-?

“That’s not the point,” Finn said, averting his eyes from Poe’s. “You started a rumour mill and now it’s time for you stop it.”

Hux laughed. “And what’ll you do if I don’t? The thing’s been going on for so long, I don’t think you can stop it just like that.” His voice oozed with power and threat, ebbing and flowing to instil fear in the bravest of the brave. Finn continued to hold his gaze with Hux.

“If you don’t tell the entire block to knock it off with talking shit about Poe, I’m gonna tell everyone about you and Ren.”

Hux visibly flinched at that. If his chair weren’t directly behind him, he would’ve collapsed on the floor. The cat leaped up into his lap, letting him run his hand through its fur. His eyes looked at some distant point behind Finn and Poe. _No one knew anything. How could this be?_

“And what makes you say that? I don’t have time to engage in such frivolous follies.” It was Hux’ last attempt at gripping to that vestige of power for just a little longer. The delivery was blank, as if he didn’t believe in what he was saying.

Finn switched on his phone and opened it up to his gallery. He tossed the phone at Hux, who caught it with one hand. Upon looking at the screen, the senior coughed to mask his shock.

He saw a mix of photos and videos in what seemed like a folder named ‘Blackmail’. He tapped on a video thumbnail with the greatest caution.

It was a shaky, portrait-oriented video of him and Kylo pressing up against each other in a secluded hallway. He remembered when this happened. They just came from the same lecture to part ways but the insufferable bastard just _had_ to feel him up at school.

“You know you’re mine, right?” Kylo said in the video. He turned his head to bite at Hux’ neck and the other boy arched closer to him.

Hux’ stoically watched the video but was panicking in his head. _Shitshitshitshit,_ went his inner monologue. He stopped the video to look at other photos in the folder.

Subtly holding hands while sitting on benches in parks away from prying eyes (except the camera’s apparently). A shot of them at the corner booth of a diner he was pretty sure only Order students had access to. Kylo tucking him to bed in their dorm room. A… photo of them playing Twister? He was pretty sure that happened _after_ dorm curfew.

“How did you get this?” Hux tossed Finn’s phone back to him and leaned back on his chair.

Finn grinned and gestured for Poe to speak.

“We at the robotics club believe in innovation and creativity among members,” he said in that grand and prideful voice that screamed ‘best future pilot of the galaxy’. “That is why we have built BeebeeAte, the university droid in charge of documenting student life and gathering evidence for potential sexual assault claims.”

“You can’t possibly-”

“Before enrolment, all students sign a form consenting to whether or not they are allowed to be filmed for the best interest of the university,” Poe continued. He smiled, sweet and passive-aggressive.

“BeebeeAte!” Poe called out in singsong. “Are Armitage Hux and Kylo Ren in the database that consents to you filming them?”

Hux narrowed his eyes. The _droid_ -?

An orange and white beach ball rolled up to his room, stopped in front of Hux and projected the photocopy of the forms he and Kylo signed when they were freshmen. Indeed, the form said that if signed, they consented to BB-8 filming them. _Fuck_.

 “But this isn’t for the university, this is our _private lives_ ,” Hux argued. The droid closed the projections and rolled towards Poe.

“Au contraire!” Poe retorted. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a flyer with a rainbow flag emblazoned on it. “Pride parade is coming up in a couple of weeks and _that_ ,” he said as he jerked his thumb towards Finn’s phone “is some of the footage we will be using for a short documentary about gay love. It’s all in celebration of the queer community!”

“You slimy, no good-!” Hux rose to lunge at Poe’s throat.

Finn stepped in between the two. “Hey, hey, hey! You haven’t heard our pitch yet!”

Hux relented. “What pitch?”

Finn explained the incident with Nines and why they ended up in that lecture hall. “Everyone will have me by the throat if they ever see me again. We only ask for one thing: the map that BeebeeAte found in that lecture hall. If you give us that, we won’t tell about you and Kylo.” He gave a pointed look to Poe. “Or use that footage Poe just told you about.” 

Save for BB-8’s engine softly whirring, no one spoke.

Hux laughs, deep and amused. “That’s all it takes?” He swivelled his chair to rifle through his drawers. He found a USB and tossed it at Finn. “It was useless anyway. It’s just a piece of something bigger.”

“A piece?” Poe repeated. Finn looked at the USB in his hands.

“Yes, you insufferable dimwit, a piece! Someone out there has a bigger map with a hole in the shape of _that_.” He beckoned for his cat to resume its place on his lap. He swivelled his chair so his back is toward the Resistance students. “Now leave us. Our business is done.”

* * *

Finn, Poe, and BB-8 left the Order dorm before celebrating. Poe picked up the droid and spun it round. BB-8 chirped and beeped high-pitched, a sign of glee.

“Who’d have thought it would be so easy to get dirt on Hux?” Finn said.

“I knew my idea would come in handy someday.” Poe patted BB-8’s dome. “Beebee is truly a blessing.”

They walked back to their dorms and stopped just in front of Finn and Rey’s room.

“What was that thing with the pool table about?” Finn asked.

Poe paused. BB-8 looked up at the junior. A series of beeps and one long ‘whoooopppp’ from BB-8 made Poe roll his eyes. He mouthed some profanities at the robot before answering Finn.

“Me?” his voice did an upturn as if asking the question was preposterous. “Pfft.” He waved a hand at Finn. “You know, I like getting close to people, like, if they let me.” He fidgeted with his hands. “Yeah, totally. Just… guys being… bros…” he finished lamely. He attempted a side lean on the door frame but fell when Rey opened the door.

She blinked at the stumbling junior in front of her, then glanced at her roommate. She rolled her eyes upon gazing at Finn’s hopelessly love-struck expression.

“Dishes are on you tonight, Finn,” Rey said while opening the door wider. She let Finn through before hissing at Poe.

“You _have_ to tell him sometime. He’s dying over there.”

She didn’t let Poe reply before closing the door in his face. Poe glanced down at BB-8.

 _“Beep, beepbeep, beep, whooopppp!_ ”

Poe sighed loudly. “Fine, I’ll tell him if that’s what shuts you and Rey up!”

BB-8 chirped happily before rolling away for Poe to follow to his dorm room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's an experiment: if you're physically reading this at this very moment, tell me in the comments! or leave a kudos! anything to Validate me as an author!


	8. To Kill a Rumor Mill

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh damn this is the longest chapter i've written for anything. this is to make up for my inconsistent updates.

Rey closed the door behind Poe and turned to have her go at Finn.

“There’s a thing called talking about your feelings, Finn. Might wanna try it sometime.”

From their kitchen, Finn laughed. “I’d love to but I know he isn’t into me.”

Rey blinked owlishly at Finn’s back. “Are you kidding me?” she said. “Have you had verbal confirmation that he isn’t into you? Has he physically told you ‘No, Finn, I’d rather _not_ be your boyfriend’?”

“Well, now that you put it like that-”

“You guys are sooo in loooveeee! When are you gonna get a taste of the spicy sex god that is Poe-”

“He’s never had sex.”

Finn put away the last of the dishes and responded to Rey’s bewildered look. “Yep, believe or not, he’s a 20-something virgin.” He leaned forward to whisper, “And I plan on changing that.”

Rey snatched the dishtowel from Finn and snapped it at him. “You’re gross!”

* * *

 A smack on the back of Hux’ chair made the boy swivel around. He turned to see Kylo Ren with his chest heaving and fists clenching and unclenching. The ginger boy looked down to see that Kylo threw his phone at his chair to get his attention. He looked back up and put on a face of boredom.

“And what has angered the great Kylo Ren?”

It only took Kylo three steps to loom over Hux and rant. “You sold us out, is what’s pissing me off!” He whirled to pace around the room. “Ugh, I can’t _believe_ that Poe asshole and the traitor managed to get dirt on you, of all people!”

Hux picked up Kylo’s phone from the floor, stood from his chair, and walked over to hand it to him. “A misstep on my part, Ren. It was all on me, but what’s done is done.”

He rubbed Kylo’s back in reassuring circles and brought him close to nuzzle against his neck.

"You said no one would find out about us!" he heard Kylo say.

Hux stepped back to put out his hands in a placating gesture. "Have no fear, it's all sorted."

" **How.** " It had the same threatening tone he would use against new org members who stepped out of line. Hux swallowed.

"I told them about the map."

Kylo took in a sudden sharp breath but breathed out slowly. He ran a hand through his hair and down his face. He looked around the room, then stalked out of it. A few seconds later, Hux heard the muffled sounds of fists beating against the tackling dummy in their living room. The noise stopped as soon as it started. Kylo came back to the room slightly flushed and out of breath.

"Feel better?" Hux asked. Kylo nodded.

"I did what I had to do, Ren. You know that." Hux sat on the edge of his bed and invited Kylo to sit beside him. "I value us more than anything else in my life. I don’t care that Dameron is planning to dismantle the rumor mill we started, nor do I care that the Jakku girl is on her way to find Luke Skywalker. I care about **you** above all else."

Kylo stared at Hux, processing the words. Finally, "You're _really_ dramatic, man," he scoffed.

“I’m leaving,” Kylo said as he rose from the bed.

"That's a cute butt," Hux blurted. _What- where did that come from?_

Kylo whirled around. "Pardon?"

Hux cleared his throat, grabbed his phone to fiddle with it. "Butt...erfly," he said while showing a photo of one on his phone. "Great metaphor for puberty...”

Kylo narrowed his eyes at him before continuing to leave.

“You also have a really nice tush!" Hux called out.

Kylo tripped into the hallway.

 _Where did_ that _come from?!_

* * *

 “Are we really doing this?”

“Sure, we’re doing this! Why? Are you scared?”

Finn stared into Poe’s twinkling eyes. That manic grin and the tousled hair was such an irresistible combination. When they first bumped into each other, he could’ve sworn the universe stopped as well…

The freshman shook his head. _Focus!_

Finn sighed. “I guess I’m still all tense from what we did with Hux back there with the map. Now we’re actually going to follow through with the rest of the plan. All in a day, too!”

Poe hummed in agreement. He leaned back on the couch in his dorm room. He then filled the ensuing silence.

“Ben wasn’t always like how he is now.”

Finn’s own train of thought stopped when he heard the junior. “Ben?”

Poe nodded. “That was Kylo’s name before he studied here: Ben Solo.”

Finn’s eyes widened as his smile broadened into a grin. “So _that_ is what this whole thing is all about!” he said while triumphantly snapping his fingers.

Poe slowly sat up on his couch. “I don’t believe I follow,” he said calmly. He leaned forward and put his elbows on his lap, focusing on Finn.

Finn gave Poe a piercing look. “I may be a freshman but I’m not stupid.” He pointed a finger at the junior. “You called Kylo by another name when you bumped into him in the hallway: Ben.”

“Yes.” The junior gave no indication of confirming or denying Finn’s unraveling theory.

“And he looked nervous when he saw you, despite towering over you by quite a stretch.”

“Hey, just because he’s taller-!” Finn held up a finger to shush Poe.

“People don’t react to names like that unless it means something.”

“Okay…” Poe said the word as if urging Finn to conclude his theory.

“So I’m thinking…” Finn left a dramatic pause before continuing, “that you two had some history before you came here.”

Poe clapped his hands. “Ding, ding, ding! You win a thousand dollars, Finn!” he said with a funny voice. The freshman laughed.

“But seriously,” he said in his normal voice, “Ben and I dated in high school.”

Finn flinched. “What?!” he cried in disbelief.

“Allow _me_ to explain…”

* * *

 Going to the same high school as the son of Leia Organa and Han Solo was an exhilarating notion when Poe saw Kylo Ren – then known as Ben Solo – for the first time at a Junior Rebels house party.

“Are you Ben Solo?” Poe yelled over the loud music. He had longer hair back then, bouncing with every step he took.

Ben, on the other hand, had his hair cropped close to his head. _Jedi tradition_ , Uncle Luke said. It was hypocritical, considering that the man had a mullet when he was his age.

“So they say,” Ben muttered. Poe eagerly took Ben’s hand to shake it.

“I’m Poe Dameron. My mom and dad were with the Alliance. Mom’s a pilot, dad’s a sergeant. That’s how they met.”

“Well, I don’t even need to tell you about my parents, do I?” Ben’s eyes raked down Poe’s body, sizing him up and judging him as best he could. If the younger boy noticed, he didn’t show any offense.

Poe laughed, energetic and hearty. “Oh, man, where do I begin! Leia Organa is the most amazing person to ever exis-”

“My parents are forcing their legacy on me and it sucks.”

Ben interrupting made Poe stop. His face dropped and he surveyed the room before going on his tiptoes to whisper into Ben’s ear.

“How about we take this somewhere more private?”

Ben stared at the shorter boy before him. _What is he planning?_

“You look like you need it. Not that I know half of what you’re going through, since my mom…” Poe cleared his throat and pointed towards the open bar. “Wanna grab a drink first?”

Ben nodded and they both grabbed a bottle of beer before stepping out from the party.

Poe listened to Ben as he animatedly waved his hands while lamenting about his life. Something about following the way of the Jedi and training that went all for naught because of something that happened with Uncle Luke. The rant was all a blur to both of them until Ben stopped talking.

Without realizing, the two have already huddled close, but it wasn’t even a cold night. They were sitting far too close for a pair that just met. It must be the alcohol… or something…

“Whatever happens next,” Ben said, “stays between us.”

Before Poe could react, Ben had already straddled his lap and was kissing the life out of him. Poe’s eyes widened as he felt Ben’s insistent lips press against his own. He tried to push him away but his efforts went unnoticed.

 _What the hell_ , Poe thought before closing his eyes and started to properly kiss Ben back: used a bit of tongue, cupped the back of Ben’s neck, moved his hands around to feel him. What Poe lacked in refinement, he made up for in enthusiasm, and the other boy seemed to appreciate it.

From that point on, it was a silent arrangement of sorts. Every time they met, it was a sign to go somewhere private and intensely make out for a bit. All bite and scratches and heat, it was intoxicating for both of them. It happened everywhere: under the bleachers, in the bathroom stalls, even in the auditorium that one time. No one said a peep about them; must have been because Ben intimidated all the snitches to silence with his death glare.

When it was time for Ben to apply for university, Poe was with him every step of the way. “Which university are you looking at?”

“None,” Ben replied. “My parents will force me to study where they teach, anyway.”

“Oh… I heard they have blocks there. Kids could choose to be with the Resistance or the First Order. But we’re basically being groomed to choose the Resistance so why bother-“

“I’m picking the First Order when I apply.”

Poe stopped mid-ramble. “But… Ben… your family…”

“I don’t give a shit about them, alright?!” Students glanced at Ben for his outburst. The boy immediately pitched his voice low.

“It’s _my_ life. I do what I want with it,” he hissed at Poe. He huffed and walked away.

“You’re gonna regret it!” Poe called after him. Ben flipped him off. Poe chased after him.

“I’m not stupid, you know,” Ben said. “I’m moving out, then using a different name when I get there.”

“What’s wrong with-”

“I’m not going there as Ben Solo. That name is dead to me.”

As they walked through the halls to the field behind the school, Poe took a look at Ben’s face. The stony expression there confirmed his conviction. The resolution, the resolve… _This name thing must be serious,_ Poe thought.

They found a patch of grass and laid there, looking up at the clear sky.

“What name are you going to use, then?” Poe finally asked.

“You’ll laugh if I tell you…”

“I won’t!” Poe sat up and took Ben’s hand to press it against his chest. “I promise on my mother’s grave.”

A promise on Shara Bey’s grave is the most binding promise Poe had ever made. _There’s something about him…_

Ben hesitated before replying, “Kylo Ren…”

Poe’s first reaction would have been to bark a laugh or stifle a giggle. But this is the boy tormented by his family’s history. The boy whose uncle isolated himself to who knows where for a reason he hasn’t revealed to Poe even after all this time. The boy blindly raging because he is scared of the dark.

“Okay,” Poe said in an even voice. “Do you want me to call you that?”

Ben shook his head. “You can still call me Ben. Even when we meet again in college.”

“Alright….” Poe paused. “If that’s the case, we have to break up.”

This time, it was Ben’s turn to sit up. “What?!”

“Just because I respect your choice to change your name and study under the sworn enemy of the organization that embodies what I believe in, doesn’t mean that I have to keep sticking with you like that.” Poe stood up and walked back to the school building.

“And no relationship can last if there are basic irreconcilable differences between both parties.” He was surprised at his own calm, neutral tone. It was as if he turned off his emotions to make the breakup the least distressing it can be. It was… easy to break up with Ben.

Poe didn’t listen to the other boy’s pleas of “give me a chance” or “I’ll miss you” or “I’ll do whatever you want”. He simply kept on walking. He went to his locker and dialed the combination. Muscle memory kicked in and without even thinking, he was arranging books and fiddling with the decoration and posters he put on there. Meanwhile, Ben was incessantly talking and begging somewhere near him, until he finally snapped at Poe.

"I'll make your life hell if you set foot in that university."

It made Poe stop what he was doing to turn around and finally acknowledge the older boy. "And how will you do that?" He jutted up his jaw and stared up at him with defiance. "You know that I've had worse."

For a while, they stared at each other, a contest of will and assertiveness. Ben, with his looming power; Poe, with his stubborn attitude.

"You'll see." Ben spat. "If you don't join me next year, you'll feel the true wrath of the Dark Side."

He spun on his heel and walked away. Poe shook his head as he grabbed his things for his next class. _Dark Side, my ass_ , he thought. What's that stuff Ben was raised with? The Force? Those were legends of long ago. _His family must be old fashioned to believe in that stuff..._

The bell rang, which shook Poe from his reverie. He glanced at his schedule and walked to his next class.

He never gave Ben much thought after that. Not when he dropped out of school the next day.

* * *

Poe leaned back on the couch. “And that’s why I don’t date white guys anymore. They’re whiny, entitled, and awful at sex.”

The door slammed open to reveal a huffy Kylo Ren.

“We never even _had_ sex!” the senior yelled.

“Case in point,” Poe said as if he expected Kylo. He then stood up to greet the senior.

“Morning, _Ben._ How’s your day going?” he plastered a fake cheery smile across his face.

"Well, it's gone to shit because of you, asshole!" Kylo lunged at Poe but Finn came between them.

"Kriffing _hell_ , man! Take a chill pill!" Once the freshman saw that Kylo calmed down, Finn stepped back and spoke calmly. "You're here to talk things out with Poe, and I'm here to make sure that you're not at each other's throats while you do that."

"It's not me who'll be lunging at throats, that much I'll tell you," Poe said as he looked up at the ceiling. Clearly, this was a façade to not have to seriously deal with the issue at hand.

"Hey, it was you who was all cold and harsh at me when we broke up!"

"And why do you think, huh, _Ben_? Why do you think I had to do that? Because I can be as much of a hothead as _you_ can be!" Poe pinched the bridge of his nose as he took a deep breath.

 _Calm and civil_ , he promised himself. “We only ask for one simple thing: tell your block members to cut it out with your block wide strategy.”

Kylo scoffed. “And why should I do that?”

“Because I’ll tell your father where you’ve been these past four years.”

There was a beat of a pause among the three students. Finn and Kylo looking at Poe in disbelief, and Poe looking at Kylo with defiance.

“Yeah, that’s right. He’s come back and it’s about time the poor soul knew where his son went.” He got up to leave the room when Kylo stopped him.

“Wait! Okay, fine! I’ll tell the block to knock off the rumor.”

“We’re glad you understand our perspective. Now if you’ll excuse me.”

It was there that the scuffle began. Just when Poe was about to step out the door, Kylo cornered him and dragged him back inside the dorm room. Finn scrambled towards the upperclassmen to stop them.

"Oh, stars…”

Kylo already had Poe in a single-handed choke hold, with the junior pawing furiously at Kylo's outstretched hand.

"Honestly, what is it with you and choking!" Finn tried to get close towards the two. The senior outstretched his free hand and Finn felt a... _force_  that pushed him back. _What?_

"This shit's been stewing for too long," Kylo said. "I will finish what you started, grandfather."

Poe was on the brink of losing consciousness. His struggle weakened and his eyes drooped. Eventually, he was slumping against Kylo, losing consciousness. Kylo was about to tighten his grip until a ruckus by the doorway arose.

The senior was momentarily distracted. An aeronautics student charged after Kylo with a broomstick and knocked it against his ribcage. Immediately, he crumpled and let go of Poe.

Poe fell to the ground, wheezing for breath and eyes wide. He looked up to see Jessika standing triumphantly over Kylo.

"That was for strangling me in the cafeteria, asshole," she said. She looked over her shoulder and called out. "Come on in!"

In a flurry of gray sashes, Rey barged in and pinned Kylo by straddling his waist and leaning on her staff as she pressed it against his throat.

Kylo blinked up blearily to see a furious Rey. "And you have to tell me about what happened with the Jedi, got it?"

Desperate for air, he nodded and wheezed when Rey relented and stood up. Once Kylo got to his feet, everyone was bracing themselves, ready for some other attack he might pull. The senior raised his hands over his head.

“Fine, you got me. I’ll show myself out…” He gave Poe one last look before leaving.

“How will we know he’s going to keep his promise?” Jessika asked. Poe rubbed his throat before speaking.

“It’ll happen, Pava. I still have quite the influence on him.” He sauntered back to his couch and lay down on it. He stretched then curled up again in it.

“You guys can chill here if you want,” he said as his eyes shut. “I’m a bit exhausted…”

Jessika and Rey looked at each other. After a series of eyebrow raises and nods, they said goodbye to Finn and left the room. Finn was once again left alone with Poe.

“How could you sleep like that after everything that’s happened,” he whispered. He went to Poe’s bedroom to grab a blanket and draped it on the sleeping junior. Like a parent tucking a child to bed, Finn stroked Poe’s hair and – with a smidge of courage – kissed his temple before leaving.

Poe smiled a little before falling asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really appreciate the support i got from my other work ^~^ life's been rough but thank you for keeping me going


	9. Finally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's a gift to celebrate the end of pride month

_Click, click, click_

…

_Tap, tap, tap_

…

Poe awoke to the sound of Finn studying. The freshman set up camp on his dining room table. A modest portion of the table had papers, pens, and highlighters scattered there. Beside that mess was Finn’s laptop, with him staring intently at it. Once in a while he would type out a few sentences before going back to writing up notes on the papers. When reading something off his laptop, he would drum his fingers on the table, eager to skim over something useful. His brows would quirk up if he found something interesting, then the drumming would stop so he could properly read. This loop of motion would continue for several minutes. Poe cherished those several minutes watching the studious boy get on with his work. 

* * *

Poe remembered being Finn’s age, bright and eager to start a new life in a new school. Finally free of the confines of high school, Poe felt invincible walking into university. A new school, a new home, and new people to meet. Just like starting from scratch, he said to himself.

He kept his head down during his freshman year: doing his assignments, going to lectures, collaborating with fellow classmates in tutorials, and even trying out some societies available on campus. He was the definition of a proper university student.

Until Ben, now Kylo Ren, got wind of his return.

"You said you were waiting for a Poe Dameron to show up around campus?" an Order lackey asked him.

"Yes," Kylo sneered. "Why, has he been around?"

The lackey pulled at the hem of his shirt. "Master Ren, I believe that you've been," he cleared his throat, "ah, out of touch with campus news and talk." When Kylo glared at him, he continued. "He's been challenging students from the Order in robotics competitions."

Kylo stared at the lackey. "You call that being out of touch with campus news? What makes you think I have time for nerdy bullshit?" He raised his hand to dismiss the lackey but the other student intervened.

"I don't think you understand, Master Ren. This kid made a fully functioning assistant droid in 3 weeks. _From his dorm room_."

It made Kylo pause and contemplate what he just heard, "An assistant droid. Like, the kind that can walk around and actually communicate with the user? Not some... drone or one of those bots used in those nerdy fight club type of setups?"

The lackey shook his head. "Not at all. In fact, he's been taking it out for test drives every now and then to let it interact with students."

"So you're saying it's got AI incorporated into it."

"Yes."

Kylo grabbed his bo staff from the table and shoved it behind him. "Take me where he is. I wanna look at his stupid smug face myself."

The lackey cleared his throat and nodded. They silently made their way through the campus to Poe's dorm room. Once at the door, the lackey bowed and dismissed himself, knowing his duty to Kylo is over for the day. Now alone, Kylo pounded at the door.

"Sophomore here! Just wanted to talk," he said. The door cracked open as far as the security latch would allow. Kylo glanced down at the person opening the door.

Certainly enough, it was Poe himself. The two boys are finally seeing each other after a good year apart. For a few seconds, it all boiled down to that one moment. The sliver of the door opened, the chain obscuring most of Poe's eyes, and Kylo standing there with bated breath. For several heartbeats, the world condensed into that single space.

The door closed again and Poe swung it open ajar. "Well, if it isn't _Ben Solo_ ," Poe said with a sickly-sweet smile. "Come on in! We have _so_ much to talk about."

Kylo entered the room and Poe nearly slammed the door behind him. The sophomore found a nearby chair and sat on it, keeping his rear nearly on the edge of the seat, all alert and attentive. Poe, on the other hand, sauntered to his bed and comfortably flopped on the edge of it.

"You're finally here," Kylo stated. Poe hummed.

"You said you were going to make my life hell if I set foot here." Poe spread his hands. "Here I am. Give me your best shot."

"And that's _exactly_ what I came here to tell you." He rose from the chair and prodded a finger towards Poe's general direction. "You'll know soon enough the true power of the First Order."

Poe waved a hand at him. "Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that. Now scram, I got a paper to work on." He got up to open the door and show Kylo out. He closed the door and leaned on it, disbelief still strong within him. His ex - son of the legendary Han Solo and Leia Organa - showing up at his door because he's got beef with him.

_This'll make for an interesting story._

* * *

Poe groaned when he stretched. There was a faint throb of ache on his back from sleeping on a couch. The sound made Finn stop his work and stare up at Poe. Finn beamed bright and radiant as he rose from his chair. "Poe!"

"Hey, buddy," Poe slurred. He groggily sat up as Finn rushed to his couch.

"Kriff, I was so worried-"

Finn was at his couch leaning down as Poe was sitting up to get off. The parallel motions led them to meet halfway into an accidental contact of lips that made both students flinch away from each other.

"I wasn't-" Finn began.

"I didn't mean-" Poe said simultaneously.

The two shared an awkward silence, simply staring at each other in disbelief. There must have been a spark, a moment of clarity, a shared bond that made them do what they did next. Whatever it was, it changed both of them.

Without a word, Finn crawled into the couch and began to kiss Poe. The junior pressed a hand into the couch to steady himself as he kissed back Finn. Desperate for touch, Poe used the hand propping him up to touch Finn, to glide his hand up the freshman’s back to his neck. This made both of them collapse on the couch, a mess of blankets and limbs. There was heat and an exhilarating frenzy in the moment. Neither could see what they were doing; they trusted themselves to let their bodies find each other and seek out that warm heat they yearned for so long.  

It could've been better, but it was glorious enough as it is. It was over too quickly, but they knew they had more time to do that more often.

They pulled away with goofy grins on both their faces.

"You-" Poe said.

"Yeah, I uh-" Finn stammered.

"Rey will _so_ have you for this!"

* * *

 “You job hunting?” Jessika held up a copy of Rey’s resume. They’re in her room, faint music playing on Rey’s laptop. She flopped down beside Rey and read aloud whatever caught her eye.

“Previous experience: local mechanic in Jakku for… 13 years? How is that possible?”

Rey snatched the resume from the other girl’s hands. “It’s a draft. Me and Finn are applying at the same places.” She got up and flipped through a notebook. She handed it to Jess with the page open. “We’ve been trying everywhere but nobody wants to hire us.”

Jess skimmed through the list. Most were retail joints, a clothing shop here, an office supplies store there, and a grocery too. Clinics and mechanic shops were placed under a different list labelled ‘In Our Dreams’. There was something blacked out under that list.

“What’s with the blacked-out part?” Jess asked.

Rey waved a hand. “We thought it was too cliché. Too many people would be applying there.”

Jess got up so she was kneeling on the bed. “You can tell me what it is. I know some people.” She smiled and cocked her head.

_God dammit, why is she so cute?_

“Starbucks.” Rey muttered. “The one on campus.”

That made Jess leap off the bed. “You mean the one across the bar? _That_ Starbucks?” She took Rey’s silence as confirmation. “ _All_ the STEM students work there!” She grabbed Rey’s hand. “Come on, I’ll show you!”

They headed over to the Starbucks joint. Surely enough, there were kids from her classes working there. Taking orders, making coffee, cleaning the place. “We go on a rotating roster so that everyone gets a shift at least twice a week.”

Rey looked around the shop windows. “But there’s no wanted sign.”

Jess shrugged. “An insider thing.” She walked up to the cashier and began speaking with the cashier there. “Listen, Rey and Finn want a job here.”

The student there looked at Rey. “And this is one of them? Where’s your friend?” they asked her.

“Oh, he’s… He’s had a long day,” she said.

“He’s the ex-Order kid, right?”

“The very same.”

They looked at Jess, then at Rey. Finally, “Take these. Your trial shifts start in a week at noon.” They handed her two copies of an application form. They gestured towards the door. “Scram, I got customers.”

“Thank you _so_ much!” Rey called out as she and Jess left.

They got back to Rey’s room and Rey began filling out the application form. Under ‘Experience’, her pen hovered over the blank. She looked at Jess for help.

“If it’s about the mechanic thing, they won’t laugh at you if you put it down. That thing is a formality, really.”

Wordlessly, Rey went back to filling out the form. Afterwards, she clipped it to put it up on the board above her desk. She put the other copy on Finn’s bare desk. The freshman preferred to study in the library, leaving his desk in their room to dump his stuff.

“So you really had to be a mechanic since you were six?”

Rey sat down on her bed across from Jess. “Yeah, family business, if you will.”

“Right, so can you teach me some tricks of the trade?”

The sophomore swallowed. “I don’t… I’m not sure that my expertise will be of any use for you-”

“I drive a car. Of course, I’ll need your help.”

Beaming, Rey and Jess talked about cars. The first ones they’ve ever worked on, the ones they’re working on now in their spare time, and the ones they dream to have. They bickered about how to solve each other’s problems, each girl insistent on her own method. It was friendly banter, shop talk, and a steady stream of good conversation with good company. When Rey was telling a story from her days in Jakku, Jess had time to think – and when she thinks, Things are bound to happen.

Fascinating, how this new girl from Jakku could stumble into her life like a whirlwind and pick her up so easily. She thought of herself as a tree: grounded, resilient, and reliant. Now she wasn’t so sure anymore. Now, in the afternoon light, those glimmering eyes and slightly quirking lips are more tempting than ever. There is hope, excitement, nervousness, and fear all in one. She so badly wants to be a part of that. To exacerbate it, to calm it, anything just to _touch_ it. She inches in closer…

The moment their lips touched, there weren’t sparks like other people tell you about. There isn’t a revelation, no fire, no intensity. It was like they’ve always done this. It felt natural, familiar, and _right_. Feeling Rey’s lips was a familiar feeling she’s experiencing for the first time. The magic of it all didn’t lie in how new it was, but how safe it _felt_. Chaste but fervent, their kiss could’ve lasted a second or an hour and it would have made no difference.

“You were saying?” Jess asked with a quirk of a smile. Her smile was beaming while she saw Rey stare at her with those awe-struck eyes.

“I’m…” the sophomore stammered. The story she was telling was wiped completely from her brain. The kiss was the only thing that was on her mind. “Why did you… kiss me?”

Jess leaned back and shrugged. “Why does anyone do anything, really? It’s the feeling that counts, right?” She smiled all goofy and stupid, a kind of happiness she’s never felt before. “I mean,” she said as she rubbed the back of her neck, “I like the feeling I get when I’m with you.”

Rey continued staring at Jess, speechless. Coming to the university, it’s been nothing but a rollercoaster of a journey. The Jedi, Luke Skywalker, and now this inexplicably wonderful girl in front of her. She had never been good with words, as she spent most of her childhood not speaking for days. No one can hear you cry for help when you’re in the middle of a dessert. In response to Jess’ words, Rey replied in kind.

With little thought to it, Rey straddled Jess and shifted them until the junior’s back was flush against the wall. She rubbed her hands up and down Jess’ arms until she came back up to cup her face. Rey captured her lips in a kiss. Chaste and flowing, like a mellow song on an orange Sunday afternoon. With unbelievably plush lips and skin so smooth to the touch, Jess felt so different than how she looked. Underneath the practical aeronautics uniform and snarky attitude was soft skin. It was warm when Rey crept her hands under the hem of Jess’ shirt. The sharp inhale from Jess only encouraged Rey to do more, to find out which threads to pull to make her come undone.

Just when Rey cocked her head to kiss Jess’ neck, the door opened.

“Oh my stars!”

With a quickness, Rey got off Jess’ lap and sat beside her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Hey, Finn. Wasn’t expecting you.” Her voice barely hid the breathlessness in it. She proceeded to stare at the wall behind Finn.

“Do you want me to… I mean I could always come back later, like…” Finn scuffled his shoe on the floor, gaze downcast and bashful.

“No, I should be going,” Jess said. She put on her full uniform and walked out to the doorway. “See you soon?” she asked Rey, to which the sophomore nodded quickly. Jess smiled, all sly and knowing. “Alright.” She closed the door behind her. A slip of paper fell out of her pocket onto the floor. Before Rey could grab it, Finn took the paper and read what was on it. He grinned and handed it to Rey.

It was Jess’ number with 3 x’s below it. “That… She never… Wow… No girl’s ever given me her number.”

“Gotta start somewhere,” Finn said, flopping on his bed. His eyes widened and he bolted out of it again. He pointed to his bed. “You guys didn’t…?”

“God, no! Pervert!” Rey threw a pillow in Finn’s direction, which he caught and threw back at her. “You should be thanking me, in fact.”

“And why’s that?” He looked at his desk to where Rey was pointing. He picked up the form Rey put there from Starbucks and he let out a laugh. He looked at her.

“Is this real?” He looked from the form to her several times. “Holy shit! We’re not gonna be broke college kids anymore!” He pulls out the chair tucked into his desk and rummages through his bag to get a pen. “When’s the interview?” he asked as he filled out the form.

“Our shifts start next week at noon.” It made Finn stop writing mid-sentence.

“No way.”

“Yes way.”

“And you got this how?”

“Jess.”

“Your new girlfriend.”

“She’s not-!” Rey sighed. “Okay, yeah. She gave me her number so it must mean something.”

Finn shook his head fondly before resuming the task of filling out the form.

“I’m not the only one with drama in my life, Finn. You still have that promise to keep.”

The freshman didn’t respond until he was finished with the form. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said with a stoic face as he turned to Rey. _That’s his pokerface_.

“Oh, well,” Rey said. “Guess I should just hook Poe up with this other guy-”

“Alright, alright!” Finn took a deep inhale before blurting, “PoeandIalsokissed.”

Smirking, Rey put a hand behind her ear. “I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that.”

“I said, Poe and I also kissed!” Finn clamped his hands on his mouth. Doing it was one thing, saying it to someone else was different. _He’s sooo fucked._

* * *

“I’ve tried everything, he won’t respond.” Han smoothed his hand over R2-D2’s blue and white dome. “Messing with the circuiting, external stimuli, nothing.”

Leia ran a hand down her face. “I know that Luke left Artoo with some… _command_ that’ll get him to wake up. I’m still trying to find the answer.”

“If I may, I think I’ve found-”

“Not now, Threepio.” Han waved off the gold droid.

“It’s a matter of Master Skywalker. I believe that the droid BB-8 has a map that leads to him. Well, a _piece_ of a map. Although I’m unsure of the certainty that-”

BB-8 rolled in, accompanied high pitched beeping and whirring. Han and Leia stepped aside to let the beach ball get closer to R2-D2. C-3PO watched as BB-8 stopped in front of the old inactive droid.

A curious _whoorp_ , then BB-8 butting its dome against R2’s body. The lights on R2 flashed to life and the round droid rolled back in surprise. Its chirps and beeps punctuate each part of R2’s system booting up, thrill and excitement conveyed in the limited sounds programmed into it. Its dome swung side to side, impatient for R2 to fully reboot.

A different set of whistling and chirping echoed in the room. R2’s dome swivelled this way and that to survey his surroundings. Finally, it focused on BB-8 and emitted more whistles and chirps. BB-8 paused at the older language that R2 was speaking, but managed to whistle and chirp back in response. BB-8 rolled forward and procured Hux’ USB to show to R2. The blue and white droid focused on the USB and rolled past BB-8 to project a hologram.

It was blue and glitchy but massive. It spanned across the entire room, awing Han, Leia, and even BB-8. The two humans spun around slowly to scan the hologram, noting salient features and designs. They both stopped at the gaping hole in the hologram.

BB-8 withdrew the USB in itself and projected the contents of the drive. It bore similar features to the large hologram R2 was displaying, however at a much smaller size. The droid rolled around the room to the gaping hole in R2’s hologram and attempted to slot in its own projection.

The pieces fit perfectly.

“This is it,” Leia said. “We’ve found Luke.”

“Oh, joy of joys!” C-3PO cried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im just.... aaaaaaaa i promise i'll wrap it up soon

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are always appreciated! ^~^


End file.
